The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1870-12-16
CARRIER PIGEONS AND FALCONS IN WAR

cable telegram informs US that Prus-
STA, in besieging the capital of France, has
revived an old custom. The Parisians en-
ploy carrier pigeons in holding communi-
cation with the outside world, and to de-
stroy this line of communication we are
told that the Prussians have called train
ed hawks into their service. The origin
of falconry or hawking, is traced back to
the middle of the fourth century. 1t was
once the favorate pastime of the nobility
on the Continent and in England, and
there was time in France when the King
never rode out on any occasion of conse,
quence without being attended by his fall
confer, who was an officer of eminencc.
In warlike days this exclusive sport was
often patronized by the commanders of
the forces. Froissart informs us that when
Edward III. invaded France he had with
his army thirty falconers on horseback,
whose sole duty was to look after the
hawks. The King, when weary of the
hustle of camp, would ride out into the
forests and fields with an escort, and with
the aid of his hawks INDUCED in the pleas
ures of the chase. But Bismarck, we be-
lieve, has been first to turn falconry to
practical use in time of war. There was
no way to stop the return flight of the car
rier pigeons taken out of Paris by balloon
but by calling to his assistance trained
hawks, The flight of the falcon is amaz-
ing in its swiftness. Henry w. King of
France, had hawk which escaped from
him at Fontainbleau, and in twenty -four
hours after was found in Malta, space of
not less than 1850 miles. Now as the fall
con does not fly by night, and if we allow
eighteen hours for daylight, we have vel
ocity of seventy-five miles an hour The
allowance of daylight is probably too much,
still it is better to underestimate rather
than over estimate the performance The
fight of the pigeon is also long and rapid
hut not equal to that of the hawk. While
the one will do its hundred miles in some
thing like two hours the other will accom-
plish the same distance in about an hour
and quarter. The pigeon will commu
nicate only one way. 1t has strong in
stinctive love of home, and, when carried
from home and set free, if the distance is
not more than 500 miles, will swiftly return
to the old nest. Man takes advantage of
this feeling, and by entrusting messages
to the birds brought from home he rests
assured that each message will safely be
delivered to friends left behind. An Eng
fish writer tells us;-"The courage and
love of home of any of these birds is so re-
markable that good old birds, if kept in
confinement and bred from for any leif5ra
of time Every commonly two years., will,
when let out, leave the place the instant
they are at liberty and torsake mate, eggs
and young to try and find their old home
Many instances are known where cock
and hen from one lot have been shut up
thus The cock has been let out while
the hen has been sitting on eggs. This is
commonly done, because it is well known
to be strong tie to the bird, and prevents
all but good ones from leaving but as
soon as he has satisfied himself that his
home is to be regained he has rushed into
the hen, drove her off the nest and out, and
both have sailed away together. Ere
quently, after long absence the bird finds
its old home pulled down, its former own
err having removed. It will then hang
about the place, resisting all the efforts