Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-02-11
FRIEND OF THE WILD PIGEONS.
Boston Hackman for Whom the Birds
Have Taken a Great Liking.

A Boston Hackman for Whom the Birds
Have Taken Great Liking.
From the Boston Daily Globe
One Of the prettiest sights in Boston is to be
seen every day about noon in Bosworth street.
when Cornelius Bresnahan, a hack driver,
feeds his pet pigeons "Con," as his friends
call him, is fine, tall fellow, with a pleasing
manner and pleasant face. He is not by any
means laxative about himself and does not
appear to regard his feeding Of the doves as
anything very extraordinary. But it is pretty
sight to see him-a great big, burly man
standing in the roadway. surrounded by fifty
or sixty fine, healthy, well-fed doves, some fly
ing around him. others at his feet picking up
the corn in the snow, while five or six of the
more familiar birds perch on his shoulders or
on his hand. eating their food with the utmost
abandonment.
Every day the birds come on time, whether
Con Is there or not. These pigeons roost in the
caves Of the temple or in the belfry of the old
church on Birthstone corner, but exactly at
noon they leave their roosts and fy down to
Bosworth street andawait Cons coming. Some
times he is late, but the birds wait for him, and
often when he gets to the feeding place he will
find two or three score of doves cooling and
fluttering in readiness to receive their corn at
his hands.
Con drives hack 269. and has been driving for
nearly twenty years. Hc is well known all over
the city. He began this feeding of the doves
about three months ago. He had no idea Of
going on with it when he began. But he saw
that the birds soon got used to him, and that
they would come at his whistle. and after q
while he found he could call them by name.
The birds are simply wild pigeons, without an
owner, and no one to feed them but Con.
When Con is late long line of birds will be
found waiting on the lodges OF the Horticultural
orlR OSynrth will 90
Con as he turns into Bosworth street with his
hack and down they fly, settling in the road,
anxious for their supply of corn.
The major general. as Con calls o crooked
bill bird, is quite pet. Con says the major
general can lick any of the other birds and he
| shows his fighting qualities when any of them
occupy too much room on Cons hand. the
major seems to thinks that he has first right
to Cons hand, and he will perch on his thumb
and eat heartily while tho others are compelled
| to look on.
| Then there are the two Judges" solemn
looking fellows and Kit and Dan McGuinnis.
| all of whom are special pets with Con. But
| they all know his whistle and come to him. Con
has peculiar whistle which he uses to call the
birds, but he also talks to them, much as a
| mother would to her pet darlings.
"Come here, little one, !" says Con, as a beau
| tlful bird flies round his head. Come and
have some corn" and the bird futters to his
hand and eats in perfect contentment.
| NOW kiss me, he says to another, and the
| bird puts up his bin and takes the kiss, flying
merrily away as if satisfied. Then Con smooths
| them and pats them, a. they look ND into his
/ face, half hidden by his fur cap.
And so, day by day, IS regularly - clock
work. Con comes aud feeds his pets and they
\ 6y Oh to roosts as happy-well, a. happy, we'll
| fed birds.
| 1t il pretty sight and crowds Of men and
women stop and take in the interesting scene.
But the crowds do not trouble the birds; they
60 on feeding and cooling a. II only their kind
| friend were present
| A number Of saucy sparrows, too, have just
begun coming to partake Of Cons hopitaiity,
and he IL seriously considering whether he
| shall take them IN hand also. They are, how
ever, little scsry At present, though one OF
two are bold enough to approach close to the
swarm of doves.