The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-08-26
BIRDS' H0MEWARD FLIGHT.
,ur Ct'RIOrS HABITS Avn METHODS
or TIfE CtRRTER PIGEON

Twenty--iX carrier pigeons made Hight
,rth.,l.,l INST from Tobyhanna. Pa. "a station
On the Delaware. Larkawanna and Western
r,Hrald. q, this city. Il distance " 90 miles.
ry.ut, -Ay, pigeons were to have been tossed
in T,wtnli. Pa yesterday. t. fly 267 miles
~ New York. hut thov wcrc not tossed.
rhe-u,rt oi flying pigeons is new to this coun-
try hu, % has grown rapidly within u short
time. About four years ago. Mr.. John Van ON
s,al % Belgian. began g. import carrier pigeons
rom nj. uativc country 20 breed and to sell.
uayine q friend who is the Captain OF ship
living between Antwerp and this city he was
abet1 bring hi, birds ovcr at a small cost Ho
WA. form, rly pigeon flyer md faucicr in
Belgium and 50 knew precisely what birds
be wanted and how to treat. At present
in q ser.o- " Scientifically constructed
eaps IN his garnet and on his house,
tp no : Lnwl, street. lac has about lpD
..rri.rpisrou. They arc quiet. demonstrating
creature and seldom uni - they are carried
&, further Han Tao Brooklyn Navy Yard, which
,,hcir myorltn and almost their only visiting
raec They arc high flyers and do not Ike
thceommou dove. venture down To- the cutters
ermt, tAe yards where the proving cat may as
,l them. So rapidly have they bred. and 80
gnies.y has the interest in them spread through
]
u,-A. and others in the sporting papers that
now Auulroi- &c places all over the country
support fuoir living champions. A paper pub
l-hal % Springfield VI .-s. called the Fduct,.s'
I..l has IN THIS month - ISSUE q list II over
eighty parsons living in widely separated parts
Of tlr uu,ry. whn uil"r " o. rcrciv" properly
car, OR. .ul iineraic according to- u-tW lions
any ArtwDrp- iutru-trd to their care"
Mr. Van Opstnl has in his stock two sorts II
carrier pigeons. the Antwerp and thc English.
The English pigeons arr NJ; az 100 the equal Il
The others n flyer. but they breed much less
rapidly. are more Ola fancy bird. and command
higher prices Aeinsle Eu.,li-h carrier pigeon
that wa- perfectly marked and prop 'ri.onol
has slll for s2jn Mr.. Van Op-tnl sells rair
q young Antwerp nix 'on- for -.
The Antwerp has COIN. 90 b.. thr general
name for all B"lgau homin= birds hnt 'he Nv
INK pigeon. Of that country are uuG 'ubtedly
very mixed breed. The origin of tuo pigrol.
n0gagrD'ot Belgium. however. date, from about
MY gears ago and j. atiribut,l 10 tie cross
INK of the Gauntlet oi Antwerp with tie
Smcrlc " Licgc. Thr Cumui b. described ~
bong Of Flemish or, IA. with white eSr's and a
habit of Tying $50 high u- - hr lost to Kilt for
several hour- ihc Sntric i.uf Waluon ORR
gin. II thr SAM dimensions a- the Cumulot.
but in Hight 10 is moro ripil. although IL docs
not rise So high nor fly so long The English
pigeon is distinguished for ~ beauty. great
strength. and large white wntti.s around the
oy,- and beak. All three breeds probably be-
rlme crosSrd in Belgium. and the result was
tAr birds which now ny -u n ion.; distances.
These Belgian carrier pigeons or homins
birds are rather small birds with head arched
anil skull capacious indicating l full dcvclop-
.s... . a..
tra~i To- the fiat. narrow skull 81 fine English car
ricr The Night feathers II the wings have firm
ness and great breadth amt overlap each other
l' % great extent tn" Keel 81 tn" breast bone
Is docp and covered with strong muscles. and
there j. an absence OF onai or lars" develop
m"nto any part not used in the net II flying
Mr. Teg"tmer. an English writer on birds
power Il fight these iris far exceed
any other variety, Of pigeons with which
have often enjoyed watching thr flight dart ofl
IN q li,le Of wind. and after seeing them mp
Uar"niIy swept aNny Nv The blast. witness them
mot th,,rtn" "Are AMI ihpiiilN ~ though IN n
calm. Ih,- power oi IL lht lr ruuIDanri with an
attachment t. home that IL NOT surpassed 10y
that oi any other pigeon
.The co.or pi IN" pigeons in the estimation
Of Belgian amateurs. L. NJ matter Sl"rd and
~ .Ir'ln 'r are tAr qualities non" regarded.
A. ma in-tihlrcof u point that these qualities
roach IN Belgian hir'-. 10 nay h- said that ut
tN0 y Hr- old t."y mr." rnrnhlo Of returning
hours. provld'l the ky is ci"nr and tie wind
faNY rable n lHi weather they return uu the
following or. on IT, third dny. The jour
ney- from Tours $3.50 miI's.. Chor'i.rraut
800 miles. and IuHi"rs 1850 u.I.s geo
l. 20. ar. periormd 'y The birds ia isn't
hours. Regarding Tho value a. 49," carr or
pigeon, iu Il isium. il is -uii that a couple Il
young Smerlcs. warranted bret from birds tlut
have flown long distances. sell for 100 francs.
and that OCCASIONALLY Il bird that Las w,N prlI'-~
in long matches sells AZ high rs 500. That the
Hsig'ans ar gnihu-iasiir over the slort "