Fort Worth weekly gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1890-09-18

within his grasp. But to be an amusement
worth INDUCING in it should be properly built
we'll stocked and conducted in the right way
The pigeon loft should be in barn where there
is plenty of room for the birds to fly about and
exercise Their wings. At one end of the loft
there should be nesting boxes, one for each pal,
OF birds. Outside of the hole in the barn wall,
through which they fly in and out a shelf should
be placed; for pigeons are not like some Other
birds that fly into their houses without resting
their wings. They must have chance to perch
this shelf and walk about before they go inside
their dornicie.
After you have put your pigeons in the loft
you must be careful not to let them out for at
least two or three weeks. If you do they will
not return. As soon es thew become accns-
toned to their new home they will not leave il.
no matter what liberty you afford them, unless
some other boy who is given over to evil ways
captures them and takes them to his loft II
they are lost that way you might as well give
them up, for the pigeon is a tickle bird and its
affection seldom lasts longer than three week.
at the utmost.
Now word about your pigeons, There are
many pretty varieties that make beautiful pets.
For instance, there is the vain and strutting
bsrbed, and the ruftie- necked pigeon. These
are all hardy varieties and viii repay the
trouble OF raising and caring for them.
There is another species / should not forget
for in some respects it is the most interesting of
ali. The tumbler pigeon is one of the most ex-
pert aerial acrobats in the feathered world
tired ne does not come down to his perch as
other pigeons do, but he tumbles over and over
in series of graceful somersaults until he lands
on the tips Of his claws at the very point he had
in mind when he began his wonderful desce mt
These birds can be bought for from So so TO S
a pair, If you go to a bird fancier for them,
though l have no doubt many of my readers
have friends who can spare them q pair from
their lofts at q very much lower figure. In buy
ing pigeons be sure that the pairs are mailed
his owner. he is constancy itself in the treat
ment of his mate, and to hatch out eggs and
raise young pigeons you must have mated pairs.
n "a giy ;unac
and 1t will not take you long to have loft full
If YOU make good start.
The proper food for pigeons is whole grains of
wheats dried peas, cracked corn and gravel
They use the gravel in their crops to triurate
their food the same as chickens do.
RABBITS AND THEIR CARE.
Another pretty pet for boys is the rabbit INIT
bunny, like the pigeons, needs the right kind
Of care to thrive. You should keep your rab-
q hutch. have seen hutches built out of old
dry goods boxes, but the best kind of a hutch is
little shed, one half of which is shut in, with
through, and the other half is barred Ike a
cage, SO that the pets cannot get out and run
away. In the dark part of the box you should
they sleep and spend thrir time in rainy and IN
pleasant weather. You should give them plenty
of green food to eat, such as lettuce leaves,
beet stalks, and carrots and apples
Among the choice varieties OF. rabbits are the
lopped-eared and angoIa. The former has long
ears that do not stand up straight as the ears OF
the common bunny, but hang over like those of
q spaniel. The longer the ears the more yalu-
able the rabbit. In all the poultry shows where
rabbits are exhibited the longest cared rabbit
wins the first prize. have seen one with ears
twenty-one inches long. The price varies ac-
cording to the ears and runs all the way from s.
to $50 pair. The angora rabbit has coat like
the angora cat, fluffy, like mnff with the fur
rubbed the wrong way. They can be bought for
81 to Sc pair. The common rabbit can be got
for very much less-ffty cents pair would be
very good price.
The rabbit makes q spretty pet It f. sffec-
tionate and can learn to come at call and to eat
ont of your hand, but have never heard of one
being educated to higher degree of intelli-
gence. A pair OF rabbits win bear young three
or four times year.
BusHY-TAILzD PET.
Arnons the most destructivs pets boy can