3 6 
The Illustrated Book of Plgeons. 
wired pen, with a sliding wire partition in the middle, which can be withdrawn as soon as the birds 
appear to have become kindly disposed to each other. There is rarely any difficulty with regard 
to the cock, unless the cage be in sight of a hen with which he has previously been paired, or — 
what occasions more difficulty still — with which he has paired himself. In that case the old mate 
must be removed before he will pair again ; or still better, a piece of white calico be drawn over 
the front of the pen to hide the other birds, while still affording light inside it. But the hen is 
often less tractable. If the birds, after being two or three days in the pen, do not seem to agree, 
which may always be known by the pretty curtseying and bowing of the female in response to the 
strutting and cooing of the cock, the partition should be withdrawn ; which will soon settle 
matters, unless the hen should prove — as she sometimes will — mistress of the pen, and beat or 
drive the cock away. In that case, the hen should be put by herself in a nearly dark pen, w'here 
she can hear but not see any of the other birds, and kept thus for several days, a little hempseed 
Fig. 21 . — Matching Pen. 
being given her every day. The cock should meanwhile be kept in the matching-pen, and also 
have a little hempseed. He will thus become at home in the pen, and when the hen is returned 
after her confinement in the dark, she will, in almost every case, find her master, and submit to 
him with a good grace. After the birds have been mated three or four days, they may be turned 
into the loft without any fear of the marriage being dissolved. 
Whenever it is desired to dis-match birds and make other arrangements, which will often 
happen to an experienced fancier, who may perhaps have acquired since the first mating a better 
cock for his favourite hen, which he accordingly wishes to substitute for her present husband, the 
proper mode of procedure is to let the hen lay her two eggs, and then immediately take her away 
both from them and from the cock. She should be kept apart from all male company for at least 
eight days if her first pair of eggs, a fortnight if her second pair, and three weeks if later in the 
season, in order that she may have a proper rest before laying again. After this she may be 
re-matched, and as soon as she has thoroughly accepted her new master, the pair may be returned 
to the loft in the usual manner. Most pigeons lay in from eight to sixteen days after being 
mated, some being what are called much “freer breeders ” than others. If a hen does not lay 
within three weeks of mating, she should be separated from the cock for about eight day's and then 
returned to him, which will usually produce eggs ; but if after repeating this treatment two or 
