— 
f 100 
PIGEONS. 
shelf outside of 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 
AERIE OPEN. 
open, and laid flat on the platform, as in the above figure 
A , B , C and on the upper parts of these flaps are fastened 
strings, united to a single string in the middle of the trap; the 
string is carried over the swivel 22, at the top of the machine, 
to a hiding place, whence the owner can see all that passes, 
and when a bird alights within the aerie, he jerks the string, 
the flaps are elevated, and the bird is immediately a prisoner. 
The aerie, when shut, presents the appearance shown in the 
i following illustration. This kind of trap is used not only by 
AERIE CLOSED. 
fanciers, but by amateurs; and is an important appendage 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 
A from being deteriorated through stray birds of no value pairing A 
H lb 
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