THE PERSISTENT PIGEONS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVIII, Issue 1, 2 January 1937, Page 2 (Supplement)

THE PERSISTENT PIGEONS.

Bill and Coo were two pretty pigeons that lived in the big city. Jane could see them from the kitchen window of her attic flat on the fourth floor. Of course there were other pigeons, too, visible from her window, but Jane didn't know one from another, for they all looked pretty much alike. She knew Bill and Coo, however, because, although they didn't look very different from the others, they acted differently. For one thing, they started to build their spring nest early last February while the snow was still on the ground. They built it where Jane could see it quite" plainly— on the very edge of a pointed sloping roof about on a level with Jane's window, and just across the alley. It was interesting to watch them. The nest was quite large and loosely put together, not daintily woven like the nests of many smaller birds. It was soon finished, and then Coo laid two large bluish-white eggs in it, and sat patiently upon them day after day to keep them warm for hatching. While she sat there, Bill brought food in his mouth and tenderly fed her. All went well for some days until there came a snowstorm. It came in the night, and early the next morning Jane hurried to her window to see how Bill and Coo were faring. There was the hen, covered with snow, looking like a marble bird sitting closely on the eggs. Presently the sun came out brightly, the snow disappeared from the neet and the bird and all was well again. In a day or two, however, came a driving storm of rain

and sleet. Coo still sat closely on the eggs, but the cold rain and wind proved too much for her feathers, and after a while the eggs were chilled and broken, and Coo flew off. The nest, as well as the eggs, had been much damaged by the storm, but after a while the birds rebuilt it, two more eggs were laid, and house-keeping started again- On warm days Coo sometimes left the nest to let the eggs cool, and every day she turned them over with her feet to keep them evenly warm. One day as she was turning them, the nest being near the edge of the roof out of the nest they rolled, fell to the' ground, and were broken. Jane saw it plainly, and so did the little girl .'ownstairs who often visited her. Both Coo and Bill chirped a little sadly over this second loss, but they had plenty of courage and patience, and soon began again. By the end of April they had rebuilt their nest, making it very thick and strong on the edge side. and Coo began sitting again. * Finally there came a day in May when the young pigeons pecked open their shells and camo out into the sunshine. Bill and Coo were greatly excited, and spent all their time feeding and caring for them until they were able to fly from the nest. Jane kept crumbs and seed on the window-sill, where Bill and Coo came for them. "Well," said Jane, "I'm glad the hatching season is over, and that all is well at last. But if I were you, Bill and Coo, I wouldn't begin quite so earlv another season, nor build my nest quite so near the edge."