Tiff. Spitalfields Area. 
23 
jet of fresh water continually running into it. It is made shallow purposely, or some birds, such as 
Short-faces, would get drowned. A block is also placed in the middle to prevent this, and for the 
birds to get on when leaving the water. 
Right and left of the entrance doors, and the other end under the window, are fitted up with 
smaller boxes or nests about eighteen inches square and two feet high, having sparred or lath 
fronts to match the other doors in the loft. Altogether there are seventy-six breeding-boxes or 
nests round the walls, and a clear space for birds flying about, besides the outer flight, of forty-three 
by ten feet. Throughout the loft are a number of neat little feeding-boxes or hoppers, with sloped 
tops, and wire to prevent the birds scattering the food. The entrance door is glazed at the top, in 
order that observation may be quietly made of how the birds are behaving when left alone. There 
are always a number of ill-behaved cocks that will persist in going into their neighbour’s pens, and 
generally smash the eggs in the melee that ensues. When caught at this, a day or two’s confinement 
to their own pens does good ; and these are so large that even should the hen be sitting, no 
inconvenience will result to the pair. 
In concluding our description of this excellent loft, for which as well as for the drawings we 
are indebted to the kindness of Mr. Matthew Stuart, we should state that what we have described 
is only the “fancy” or show loft, which does not occupy nearly the whole extent of the attic. At 
the other end of this is another loft for the feeders, which is arranged much the same as the fancy 
loft, but in a plainer style, as visitors are rarely shown into it. And midway between the two is a 
room eighteen feet square, in which are kept show-boxes, nest-pans, water-fountains, oak barrels 
fitted with iron rims for food, &c. This room is also furnished with a large show-pen, placed on a 
table in the centre of the room under a skylight, and a few chairs, “ for the purpose of enjoying a 
private view,” or arranging matches for the- breeding season. How often those chairs have had to 
be renewed Mr. Wallace has forgotten to inform us ; but it is very evident the Glasgow fanciers 
rather enjoy looking at their pigeons, and it is perhaps better on the whole for the loft to be in the 
attic than on the ground floor ! 
In the admirable loft here described, the objects we have before mentioned are secured, but in 
a different manner, more space being at command. Here also the young birds are prevented 
from falling on the floor or being attacked by others, and quietness in breeding is thoroughly 
secured ; while the large size of the pens, enabling any pair of birds to be secluded at pleasure 
without detriment, is of the very greatest advantage. Where an attic can be given up large enough 
to carry out such a system, it will be difficult to excel Mr. Wallace’s arrangements generally; and 
the plan of the aviary outside the roof, in particular, is the very best we have ever met with, the 
birds being perfectly secure from any danger except rats and fire. 
For pigeons which are allowed their liberty, or are “ flown,” as it is called, less care is needed 
as regards the internal arrangements of the loft, the birds being stronger and hardier, and passing 
much of their time in the open air. The breeding-places for such birds we have already mentioned, 
and it is only needful to mention the arrangements for giving the birds ingress and egress. In all 
pigeon-flying lofts, these consist of some kind of wire cage, called an “area,” fixed at its open side 
to an aperture in the loft, and furnished round the other sides and end, or sometimes only on one 
side, with hinged doors, which can either be lowered like drawbridges, to form a landing, or closed. 
Such an area is perhaps found in its greatest perfection of arrangement in what is known as the 
“Spitalfields dormer,” shown in Fig. 12, and of which any number may be seen, with slight 
modifications, in that celebrated pigeon-flying locality. All round are the trap-doors, which in 
these Spitalfields affairs are connected together, so that they can be closed instantaneously by one 
pull at a string ; and if a stray pigeon lights on any one of the doors, he is a “ gone ” bird — for the 
