Pigeons possess a great deal more individuality of character than any
one would suppose who has only seen them in flocks picking up grain in a
farmyard, like domestic fowls.
They show to better advantage when only a few pairs are kept and fed
daily at some settled place; but to make really interesting pets two are
quite sufficient, and may be made very amusing companions. Some species
may possess more mental capacity than others. Those I have to speak of
were snow-white trumpeters. A pair was sent to me, but, to my sorrow, I
found on opening the basket that the male bird had escaped on the way;
so I could only put the solitary hen in a cage, and do all that was
possible in the way of plentiful food and kind care to make her happy;
but all to no purpose. The poor bird pined and grew weaker every day,
till she became unable to get up to her perch. I used, therefore, to go
to her every evening and place her comfortably for the night; and she
soon grew tame enough to like being caressed and talked to. When spring
returned I obtained a male pigeon, and hoped Blanche would accept him
for a mate, but she showed a great deal of temper, and made him so
unhappy that he had to be exchanged for another--a fine snow-white bird
like herself, and, happily, of such a forbearing disposition as to
endure being considerably "hen-pecked." Now began the curious part of
Blanche's history. The pair built a nest in a small pigeon-house close
to my window, so that I was able to watch all the family arrangements
with much interest. Blanche liked to be with me for some hours in the
morning, sitting on the table pluming herself, quite at ease, and when
that operation was ended she generally seated herself on a large Bible
which lay at one end of the dining-table, and there she usually went to
sleep; a white dove resting on the Word suggested to one's mind many a
beautiful emblematic thought. These visits to me were paid most
regularly when a nest was finished and the eggs were being hatched; she
then shared the duties of incubation by turns with her mate. He would
sit patiently for four hours on the nest, while Blanche spent that time
with me; then, punctually at the right moment, she would wake up, and,
lazily stretching her wings, would fly out at the open window to see how
affairs were getting on at home, and take her place on the nest for her
appointed four hours.
She was a most eccentric bird in the matter of laying eggs. I sometimes
found she had made me a present of one, neatly placed amongst my working
materials! In fact, wherever she happened to be upon the table would be
deemed by her a suitable place for laying; and, as I always conveyed the
eggs to her nest, her little freaks did not much matter. But at last
she took it into her wilful little head to lay her eggs in the
coal-scoop, an arrangement which by no means improved her snowy plumage.
She had a pretty crest, which curved over her head, and her feet were
clothed with rather long feathers reaching to the claws. At our
breakfast-time she would often sit close to my plate, letting me stroke
her and draw out her pretty wings. I must own she was as conceited as
any peacock, throwing herself on her side and stretching out a feathered
foot, little dreaming how she was being laughed at for her affected
attitudes. If she had a fault, it was her temper! I have seen her go up
to her mate and give him a most uncalled-for peck, and he--amiable
bird!--would bear all her unkindness so meekly, only answering by a
propitiatory coo. Blanche reared many sons and daughters, but none were
so interesting as herself. I ascribe her unusual tameness to the loving
care bestowed upon her in her long illness. When once a bird's
affections are won in that way they generally remain firm friends for
life.
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