Middletown transcript., 1871-04-08
CARRIER PIGEONS.

Before the day Of steam aud telcgraphic
communication. carrier pigeons were much
used as messengers. We find mention Of
them AS far back rs the crusadcs. As the
mail system has been improved aud ,cc-
graph lines established. they have ceased
to be depended upon but up to coppar-
lively recent date, they have been consid-
erabIy used on the European Continent.
In Belgium their training is still spc-
cialty.
During the recent siege Of Paris they
have proved Of incstimable value The
Germans who surrounded the city pre-
vented persons from going in or out, and
cut the telegraph wires, so that messages
could not be sent. Balloons were easily
sent away, but it was found impossible TO
guide thOm back with any certainty If
il Ind not been for trained carrier pigeons
the people could have received no commu-
nications from outside the Notifications.
The birds were sent by balloon to Tours
or Bordeaux, where they were le. loose to
return home with their dispatches. The
messages to be sent were collected at one
Of these places. The price Of transmission
was ten cents word for those n2t exceed
twenty words. The messages having been
collected, were copied as clearly and close
y as possible. upon large sheets Of paper,
in columns like newspaper. These were
photographed until reduced to the small
est attainablc size. A large newspaper
page would be reduced to square inch
\ single bird has been known to carry
thirty thousand dispatches, When they
are received the characters are made legi-
blc by being thrown by magic lantern
upon screen
The paper is not fastened to the wing as
formerly. but is wrapped around the mid.
die feather Of the tail Sometimes it is
inserted in quill and tied to the feather
Either Of these methods leaves the bird
un!ettcred in its flight The date aud
place Of starting are stamped upon the
wing, Before the Germans learned the
system used they tried sending in cap
tured birds with false dispatches, but the
deception was always detected.
The first brl-post left Tours On the S,h
Of November, aud arrived in Paris the
same day. The speed Of pigeons averages
from thirty-ilvc TO forty miles an hour a
rate greater than that Of our ordinary rail-
road trains. One instance il recorded Of
a bird flying seventy miles m hour for
eight successive hours. u speed 10 which
steam has never attained Sometimes on
long journeys. the pigeons become cxhaus.
ted or perish in storms. \ wcll.,rainod
bird, unless wcarcd out or disabled by
accident, will pursue n steady course.
rarely dallying by the way When re-
leased, thcy rise in circles in tho air,
each one larger than the Que below. until
they catch sight of a familiar object, when
thcy will start in straigh, line for home.
Keen sight and love for home are the
qualities most relied upon for guiding
them in their wonderful flights.
The birds used as mail carriers are
rathrr larger than our house pets, weigh
ing from pound to n pound and half
The Belgium pigeon tnnciers look with
seorn upon those used BY the Parisians,
declaring them to be neither OF good race
nor wcll-trained Some of the professions
als say that il they had taken their cotcs
into the city before the siege their for
tuncs would have been made. The grey
reddish or blue Belgium breed is though,
to be the best
The Belgium faueier takes great pride
in his cotcs. lie begins training the
doves when young by carrying them short
distances and then releasing them to find
their way home alone. Gradually he in-
crcases the journey to hundreds Of
miles OF n summers evening he may be
seen seated on the roof Of his house, or a,
the upper window, watching for his birds.
which he may hc expecting from all pnrt,
Of Europe When they come in sigh, he
motions to them with his hand what III
rectinn they are to take and then whistles
sharply Wcl-iraincd birds will imme-
datcly settle upon the rap door to the
cote to be taken in lie studies each pi-
rcon. knows its qualities, can tell To
niccty how much burden i, can carry. and
how far it may be required to travel.