46 REARING AND MANAGEMENT OF PIGEONS. 
The aerie before mentioned, which is fastened on the shelf outside the 
loft, is a trap made of laths; it has two sides and a front only, the wall of 
the loft forming the back ; the front and sides act upon hinges, so that they 
may be thrown open and laid flat on the platform, as in the annexed figure 
arc (Fig. 1), and on the upper parts of these flap-strings are fastened, 
which are united to a single string 
in the middle of the trap; the 
string is carried over the swivel E, 
at the top of the machine, and 
thence to a hiding-place, from 
whence the owner can see all that 
passes; and when a bird alight3 
within the aerie, he jerks the 
string, the flaps are elevated, and 
the bird is immediately a prisoner. 
(Fig. 2.) This kind of trap is used 
not only by fanciers, but by ama¬ 
teurs, and is an important appen¬ 
dage to the loft, both as a means 
of self-defence to secure strays, 
and to shut in their own birds; 
among amateur fanciers, the first- 
mentioned purpose is to secure 
valuable and favorite breeds from 
being deteriorated through stray 
2- birds of no value pairing with them. 
Within the pigeon-house should be placed also two or three boxes for the 
grain, pulse, and beans to feed the birds upon. These should be made so 
that the birds may be able to pick the 
£ g seed3 from them without scattering 
them about. This is easily prevented 
by placing over the tops of the boxes a 
covering of wire, the meshes of which 
are about half an inch square. The 
upper part (a) is a hinge top^(& b b), which opens for the food to be placed 
in. The partition (b) is the feeding part of the apparatus, having the wire 
top, which prevents the seed being spilled about. 
FEEDING. 
Whenever pigeons are fed, they should be accustomed to come to their 
food at one particular call, and the best is that of a common pea whistle, 
which may be heard at a very great distance. By always using this when 
birds are brought to their food, they will come at your will, whenever you 
wish to bring them home, which is a very great advantage. 
