370 
The Illustrated Book ol Plgeons. 
ration. On the contrary, a pigeon could not eat that quantity daily for any length of time and 
retain its health and activity. Where, too, could they procure corn in summer and winter, while all 
the crops are either growing or housed ? What is it then that they feed on ? Open their crops, 
and see. I think I shall not be far wrong when I say that for at least three-fourths of the year 
they can procure no corn from the fields ; their food then consists of seeds — the seeds of various 
weeds, in devouring which they render great service to the farmer, by helping him to keep his 
ground clean, in destroying innumerable seeds of weeds that are scattered on the surface of 
stubbles or other lands during winter and summer. At harvest-time they are also accused of 
devouring the corn, but I never heard of their attacking the standing crops, except in the case of 
peas ; and here, if we consider for a while, we shall find that the injury done to the crop is in 
reality nothing. A pigeon cannot split open the pods, but only pick up the fallen peas ; and 
where is there a pea-field that the ground is not more or less strewn with those that have ripened 
and fallen from the pods before the main crop was ready to carry ? and what becomes of them ? 
Hogs are sometimes turned into the pea grathen ; but are not bushels and bushels ploughed in 
every year to feed the mice and rats, and serve them for a winter store ? Why then, I ask, refuse 
the poor pigeon a small picking ? I verily believe that much of this bigotry respecting pigeons 
arises from ignorance, or is made the plea for having a pie at one’s neighbour’s expense. An 
anecdote is related, on good authority, of the peasants in one of the departments of France having 
complained of the great loss they fancied they sustained owing to the number of dove-cotes in their 
vicinity. The consequence was the suppression of the obnoxious birds. The result did not, 
however, meet their expectations ; they found their crops no better, but the weeds increased so fast 
that they were glad, after the trial of a season or two, to have the dove-cotes re-peopled. Nor must 
their manure be forgotten, which is of considerable value as a fertiliser. In Persia and many parts 
of the East they build large towers or houses for the pigeons, on purpose to obtain the manure 
only, as the Mohammedans do not eat pigeons, but regard them as sacred, and object to 
Christians keeping them.” 
The foregoing arguments are of great weight, and will, we think, convince most persons that 
the dove-cote pigeon probably does little if any harm, especially when the number of small snails 
they devour is taken into consideration. As Mr. Brent so cogently urges, when they can neither dig 
nor scratch, and can only feed on the crops for a month or two, is it not plain that all the year 
through the bulk of their food must come from the seeds of weeds and other sources which not 
only do the farmer no wrong, but are to him a distinct benefit ? 
Undoubtedly the very best pigeon to keep for mere food-supply is the bird so well known as 
the common “dove-house” breed, also occasionally known, though incorrectly, as the Blue Rock. 
It surpasses all the fancy breeds in comparative plumpness of body compared to its size, that size 
also being rather large ; and is, besides, exceedingly hardy. The colour varies considerably, owing 
doubtless to occasional crosses from waste offshoots of fancy strains, but the vast majority of birds 
are either blue with black bars and white rumps, or blue-chequers, the chequer perhaps predomi- 
nating. Red-chequers are also far from uncommon ; but if a cote be stocked with Blues and Blue- 
chequers only, the appearance of any other colour is very rare, unless some stranger brings it in 
the shape of a cross. The legs, flights, and tail are comparatively rather short, giving the bird 
a very plump and “ potable” appearance, and making it weigh heavily for its apparent size. 
So thoroughly free from disease is this natural race of pigeons, and so regular and free a 
breeder, that little is needed beyond providing a proper domicile, and the regular thinning of the 
stud to the proper limits. In former years, when the supply of butcher’s-meat was neither so 
