Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1881-09-22
The Carrier Pigeon,

8hf tdffltE IlReuU.
Before the days Of steam navigation,
railroad communication and the electric
telegraph, the carrier pigeon was an iai-
p"r'ant agent in the rapid delivery of
Impor an. messages. It's use in peace
and war, diplomacy and intrigue, bust
ness and finance, speculation and trade,
in the gathering Of news or in the
securing Of private advance information
gave the carrier pigeon a usefulness in
former times far beyond it's service at
the present day. Now the electric cur
rent far outstrips the wings OF the bird,
distancing even the light Of the sun in
its speed. The carrier pigeon is now
rarely used for the purpose for which il
was formerly required. The last i'm.
portant event of which We are advised,
in which this bird was engaged in It's
regular Legitimate work, was at the time
Of the siege Of Paris, 10y the Germans.
The most common usc Of this bird to-
day is in trials Of speed between given
points, affording those persons inter
csted in the sport an opportunity TO bet
or gamble upon the results.
It's instructive aptitude for domcs-
ITCHY has always marked the carrier
pigeon. and it is this love OF home,
added TO its attachment to its Offspring,
which has impaired the capability 0
training the birds MS carriers. On long
distances such birds are selected. if
possible, as have young ones in their
nests. Their rate of fight is speeded
at about thirty miles per hour, though
some have even better records These
pigeons arc a little better than the com
mon breed, though they are surpassed
in beauty by many other varieties.
They are noted for their extreme
lengjh also iSSs fact that their wings
c1' tip of their tails.
The aT9S@' ler pigeon is fifteen
inches in le and weighs one and
one-half pounds. The neck is long.
and the pectoral muscles very large
indicating a power Of vigorous and
long-continucd fight. An appendage
of naked skin hangs across it's bill, con-
tinuing down on either side of tho
lower mandible. from tho size and
shape Of which the value Of the bird is
estimated. Those with wide circlets
destitute of feathers around the eyes
are considered among the best.
As soon as the birds have acquired
their full strength OF wing the training
may commence. The bird is taken in
p covered basket to the distance OF
mile or so at first, the distances increas-
ing as the training progresses. Flights of
immense distances and surprising speed
are recorded, but many such stories
have an air OF romance about them
which suggest flight of thought rather
than the journey of bird.
An ingenious method of taking the
passenger pigeon is prActised in Italy,
particularly in those romantic defile
which separate the rocky heights through
which the vast flights Of these birds di.
rect their course in their migration.
Nets are spread in some mountain pass
under the course of the flight Of the
pigeons, extending from tree TO tree or
from one abutting rocky point to an
other; but as the birds would fy much
above the net we're not some contrivance
resorted to by the willy natives to force
them TO descend, they practice the fol.
lowing expedient: Masses Of stone are
here and there raised, on which the
singers station themselves with a auan.
tity OF small-sized stones. Other per.
sons also concerned being placed on the
summit of these mountain passes. give
notice OF the approach OF the pigeon
flights by sounding horn. hearing
which those stationed on the piles com.
mence singing their W. ite stones among
the birds, which 80 attracts their atsen
tion that they descend in pursuit Of the
stones, and In doing 30 numbers Of them
become ensnAred. Asnerssaa cssaiFsssor.
-----~su-------------