city's pigeon problem. They were sent to us by a reader who wondered if Bermuda should adopt the same plan being followed to get rid of the Arizona pigeons.

This newspaper is not quite sure where it should be in the pigeon debate because in Arizona those trying to get rid of the pigeons were worried about getting a bad press. Yet this newspaper has generally suggested that a country like Bermuda which collects household water from the roof should be getting rid of pigeons.

It was suggested that Phoenix pigeons, especially those leaving droppings around the jail house which were called a "severe, severe nuisance'', should be given a death sentence. The sentence was to be administered in a way we had not heard of before. There was a plan to install poison pigeon perches on building ledges to wipe out the pigeons. It works because the perches are saturated with a poison which is absorbed into the birds' blood stream through their feet when they sit on the perch. Bermuda would have to consider how much poison a hard squall might deliver to the tank.

Anyway, that idea did not sit well with the Arizona Humane Society. The society said there had to be a more humane way to deal with the pesky pigeons.

"Unfortunately we're never surprised that these types of things still continue to exist in society. It sets a poor example.'' The society was also worried that the bodies of poisoned pigeons would be "scattered on the sidewalks''. Given the number of pigeons in Hamilton, we think that might well be a real problem in Bermuda. Imagine visitors confronted by dead pigeons on Front Street sidewalks.

At first, Arizona officials were not worried because the poison perches were "cost effective'' and cleaning up after the live pigeons had become "a daily chore''. They were also sure they were on solid legal footing in poisoning the pigeons and determined to ignore the bad press pigeon pioisoning might bring.

However, in response to over 100 calls after the poison perch announcement, it was decided to set up a pigeon hot line to solicit suggestions about just what to do with the pigeons -- and Arizona isn't even known as a place where you drink the water from your roof. Hamilton, of course, debates behind closed Corporation doors and seldom announces what it does with the pigeons or the pigeon problem.

Among the calls was one suggesting giant Slinkies along the building ledges to prevent pigeon perching because pigeons do not like the popular wire toy. One caller suggested trapping the birds and then taking them to another state by helicopter so that Arizona did not have to face destroying them. Which state was to receive Arizona's rejects the caller did not say. Come to think of it, maybe Bermuda could send its pigeons to New Jersey since we once wanted to send our garbage there. But some other Arizona callers had a much more direct approach. They suggested exercising America's right to bear arms, issuing shot guns and simply shooting the birds.

Arizona has spent some $25,000 to get information aimed at making a decision.

Wonder what Hamilton is doing?