V THE DOVECOT PIGEON. ^45 
I 
and retire to that of my neighbour, I cannot claim 
them. However^ in order that dovecot pigeons 
may not fall into the hands of those who contri- 
bute nothing to their support, the legislature has 
enacted a fine of forty shillings, to be paid by him 
who has been convicted of having shot a dovecot 
pigeon. 
This act, till of late years, was of great use to 
the farmer ; for it enabled him to raise this useful 
bird in vast abundance : but now the times are 
changed. The owners of dovecots have to com- 
plain, not only of bargemen, who shoot their pigeons 
along the whole line of the canals whenever an 
opportunity offers, but also of a plundering set of 
land vagabonds, who attack the dovecots in the 
dead of the night, and sometimes actually rob them 
of their last remaining bird. The origin of this 
novel species of depredation can be clearly traced 
to the modern amusement, known by the name of 
a pigeon-shooting match. A purveyor is usually 
engaged by the members. He offers a tempting 
price to poachers and other loose characters, and 
they agree to supply him with any quantity of 
dovecot pigeons, to be ready for the day on which 
the cruel exhibition is to take place. Generally, 
under the covert of a dark night, these hired thieves 
go to the place where they have previously seen a 
ladder, and carry it off to the devoted dovecot, 
upon the outside of which they mount, and with 
great caution fix a net to the glover, or aperture, 
on the top of the building. After they have 
effected this, they descend from the roof, and im- 
R 3 
