The Lake County star. [volume] (Chase, Mich.) 1873-current, 1875-03-18
Travelling Pigeons.
New York Graphic. ]

The late attempted balloon eXpedi-
tions, and the necessity of receiving
news of the intrepid 9rial travellers, has
called attention and melted general in
terest in the pigeons to be employed as
messengers. The capacity of this inter
esting bird for finding his home back
from great distances is indeed something
wonderful. The pigeon adds to the great
power of flight of the birds of passage
the case of walking possessed by our do
nestle poultry, and is therefore as well a
domestic bird as great traveller.
Endowed with the keenest sharpness
of sight, the pigeon possesses also very
strong local memory, and will at once
recognize objects once seen, even from a
great distance. The roundness of the
earth preventing the sight of objects sit
uated far off, the first thing carrier
pigeon will do when transported to q
distance from its home and set free, is to
ascend; however, the greatest height to
which they have been noticed to elevate
themselves is scarcely four thousand feet,
thereby bringing into sight an area OF
some fifty or sixty miles radius
DIR. Chapius, of Verviers, Belgium,
who has made extensive researches ON
this subject, states that the eye of the
pigeon has almost telescope power, SC
that it can, during clear weather, easily
distinguish objects at great distance. II
pigeons are transported in closed baskets
to great distances, it will be noticed that
after having assembled to a great height
they fly round in spirally enlarging
circle, scanning the whole horizon, until
ut last they take their course.
Before the invention of the electric
telegraph, carrier-pigeons were used to
bring the quotations of the Bourse and
Stock Exchanges between Paris, London
and Amsterdam, and we have often wit
messed, in former years, while travelling
between those cities, that scores of those
pigeons were trained to this business by
taking them first part of the distance
and setting them free; the first time say
forty or fifty miles, the second day some
eighty or ninety miles, and so on. When
at last taken out for very great distances
the poor bird is often obliged to pass the
night outside, and not only find his own
food, but take measures of protection
against numerous enemies, requiring the
utmost judgment and prudence.
The longest trip on record made by
carrier-pigeons, was made lately from
Madrid, in Spain, to Brussels, the CAPT
tai of Belgium, distance of some sever
hundred and fifty miles. The pigeons
were transported by railroad, and trained
by continually increasing distances, al
above related; but only old experienced
birds succeed in such an enterprise
When we consider that these birds had
to cross the colossal mountain chain o.
the Pyrenees, and to pass several nights
on the road, we are amazed at the intel
ligence of the little bird displayed in es
Gaping the many birds of prey.
No doubt its superior power of flight
has much to do with this; but, with al
that, many young inexperienced pigeon:
perish during such travels, and the pro
vision OF some means of protection j:
desirable if possible. This is done by the
Chinese, from whom we may learn many
other things. They attach to the pigeon
n set of small light whistles, made Of
bamboo, which, by the rapid fight o.
the bird, are exposed to a continuou:
strong blast of wind, which causes them
to produce very loud and shrill sound
frightening off the birds of prey, which
might otherwise prosecute the pigeon. A
traveller, Mr.. 2. Champion, gives full
account of this curious arrangement. lie
says that any one who walks in the envi
rons of Pekin is often surprised by hear
ing in the air very sharp and prolonged
whistling, and on looking up he sees
pigeons crossing the sky. This concert
which of course diminishes in intensity
in proportion as the birds go further off
is produced by the whistles. They arc
very light, weighing only few scruples
and are attached above the tail of the
bird by means of narrow tape passing
under the wings. In order to preserve
the whistles against the effects Of rain
and moisture, they are covered with q
light coating of yarnish.