File:Harper's New Monthly Magazine Volume 34 December 1886 to May 1887 (1887) (14596575718).jpg

Identifier: harpersnew72various (find matches)
Title: Harper's New Monthly Magazine Volume 34 December 1886 to May 1887
Year: 1887 (1880s)
Authors: various
Subjects:
Publisher: New York: Harper & Brothers Publishers
Contributing Library: Brigham Young University-Idaho, David O. McKay Library
Digitizing Sponsor: Brigham Young University-Idaho

View Book Page: Book Viewer
About This Book: Catalog Entry
View All Images: All Images From Book
Click here to view book online to see this illustration in context in a browseable online version of this book.

Text Appearing Before Image:
to increasewithout molesta-tion, their gracefulpresence alone be-ing considered asufficient return forthe expense. These birds, likeall other domesticfowl which are al-lowed to roam attheir own sweetwill, are nothingmore or less than aset of mongrels; but, forall that, they are vigor-ous in their flights andpleasing to look upon. The pigeon is a well-known forager, and henceis regarded by many as adireful marauder upon thenewly sown fields or ripeningcrops. The rapidity of its flight,however, enables the bird to feedat long distances from its home,and the restlessness wiiich it ex-hibits while on the ground precludes the belief that a bird which is provided neitherwith a bill nor feet to dig or scratch with, will do any serious damage in any onelocality. From careful observation it is thought that the pigeon picks up only thegrain which lies uncovered, and that it does not harm the farmer nearly as much asthe birds whose homes are in the fields and in the woods. The rearine* of common
Text Appearing After Image:
PLEBEIAN AND ARISTOCRATIC PIGEONS. 767 pigeons has therefore been found to be re-munerative by a large number of persons,especially in the country districts close toour large Eastern cities. Many of the cotsare kept up solely for supplying the vari-ous pigeon-shooting grounds, and a stilllarg-er number for the market. For thesetwo purposes the common barn pigeonsonly are used. Tliey have no individualintrinsic value. A healthy pair of thesebirds is not worth more than fifty cents,and unlike the fancy birds which are keptin lofts and are well fed, the barn birdswhich fly out and shift for themselves,feeding on every variety of food, are muchless prolific. At best, the hen will not layoftener than six times a year, nor do barnpigeons ever attain a greater age than fif-teen years. Therefore, to make the keep-ing of common pigeons pay, the pigeondealer must depend upon numbers, anddevote some care to the rearing of hissquabs; for, after all, a pigeon over sixmonths old, whether potted or

Note About Images