Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1886-12-05
FAST FLYING BIRDS
EASING cARRIER.PIaxoEs = How
coon ONES ARE KNOWN.
sam, Examples OF Wonderful Endurance
The Be,, Long- Distance Record
Notable Flights.

.,.v 20 . reporter for the New York
raj and Fxgress, open up curious
s,.sv 70 those " no will take the trouble
a. note their pecuisrities and actions.
While their psTsonal Appearances are
roi as attractive 20 ihe eye as those oil
some other b'gh fsers, still their sym
metrv is exceptionally pretty, when
their fine robust constitution is consid-
er,d. They vary IN color, bu; the
chef breeds aTs all red, red checkers,
all blue. blue checkers, all black.
Hack checkers. silvsrs, whites, and
snjssheTs. The whites are very rare.
know Of Onls q single pair AZ present
breeding in his vicinity. For all that
.bev are no oesrer 10 purchase than
.hose OF The other kinds. Antwerp,
Dtlgium. is the paradise Of the homing-
niveon. All Of our cracks either pos
sess parents which we're born there or
thev themselves came direct from its
sacred precincts. England and Ger
many. too, have secured On important
mart Of Its progeny. They make q re-
sular business Of carriers there. Eve
~ fourth person shout the city is a
raiser Of pigeons. 10 this immediate
neiehborheod, where the operation is
mere pastime. Hussou. Baldwin, White
IL. and Van Opsthl are the principal
BUYERS Of the foreign production. They
bsye spent 4 great deal Of money IN Sc
curing the pick Of the EArket, and
thsir extensive lofts prove that they
have succeeded. OF course, the MAORI
IL Of the pigeons brought from Ant
verp are for breeding purposes alone,
!; beng generally understood that To-
reign and domestic birds produce won
derfui flyers. They breed about five
times g year. something which no other
member O. the world Of feathers is ca
pAble Of
4" ANY Of the nine different chsrac-
ters Of pigeons which | have specified,
Il tutored while young, will gradually
develop into . perfect carrier with
cspAbilisy Of travelling 8 distance
nom fitv 10 Gye hundred miles. Free
ouentlv some are so well trained to fy
sftsr wears trial a much longer dis
tsnce. own two mates which have
flown seven hundred miles. The price
Tor birds IL as changesble as the hea-
vens. When sold 10 start & loft, the
Youngsters, or squeElers, IS they are
appropriately termed, fetch from So TO
q per pair, and the old ones cost al
the way from $40 20 600 per set. In
buying. care should be taken as much
as possible to get the brothers and sis-
tiers Of birds which have distinguished
themselves by some good flight for re-
cord or distance Otherwise the loft
will become regular white elephant,
eventually dtgenersting into house OF
refuge or hospital for useless, decrepit
stock. Much concerning the health
and ambition Of the pets depends on
comfortable quarters being secured.
If they are peuned up in narrow, III
lighted, and pOorly-veDtilated apart
ments, the natural consequence is that
thew will waste away. A carrier
pigeon after it's first lesson is like
lively school-bOy. lfhe is deprived Of
his liberty the result is fatal, for not
only will he harrow discomfort and de-
struction, bu- be will create . regular
purgAtoTy iOT those around him. Food,
TOO, Is another necessity to the pros
perity Of lott. Only the best Of the
market is received with favor By the
birds. After an abundant supply OF
clean, fresh water. the demand Of the
fyers is for hard corn, Canada peas,
hemp-seed. and q little quantity Of
wheat occasionally. They are par
,iculRrly fond Of salt, and would sooner
lose their grain and corn than be re-
fused II. ] cannot tell why It is 50,
but II seems 70 be essential 10 their
very existence. They will devour 1t
by the bushel if permitted, but are
usually satisfied when a little Is mixed
with their more solid food. Green
food should also be given them at
regular intervals. The quantity should
be small however. Attention is the
modern dessert before and after each
meal. They must have o good stock
Of II 10 sppease their Sppetites. Ths
number Of meals each day is three.
An exception is made 10 the case OF
The ben that Is caring for young
brood. She Is supplied with an extra
meal late al night. Numerous visits
should be made 10 the loft or coop by
the attendant every day. The oftener
he pays 3 visit the tamer they become,
until finally they entirely forget to
lutteT Snd grow alarmed when be sp-
pears.
There are a hundred ways Of re-
cognizug 3 well-bred. promising bird.
When you ses one with strong feathers
closely connected to the body. with
the wings substantial and finely pin
ioned 10 the form, with a fall head
from the end Of the back, with the
shaft Of wing feathers almos, intiexible
at the end, with deep broad chest,
and VIDE overlapping which stops the
al from rushing through when in
fight, you can bet al the wealth sccu-
mulated since Adam that that bird will (
carve out a memorable record. As /
the speed Of the bird Is dependent on I
bis shape, resolution, and endurance,
those in charge Of breeders cannot be !
TOO particular II seeing that they are
bred short. For difficult work and long
journeys birds between two and FIVE and 4
5 half years are the best. Their am 1
biuon Is then ~ rs height. Frequent
~ few birds will indulge in long 4
flights until they reach the age Of eight /
years. After that time they are syAils-
bic only for breeding purposes. The
system employed in training is quite
simple when once understood, but
lately some fancisrs have changed this
mode. To start loft person has TO
take birds which have never flown out
OF The coop, because they will be over
restless 10 return when liberated at
any distant point. The best WY to
IRAN, in my opinion. is 10 send them
out first OF short flies, beginning At >
or three miles. then : End 10, Is and
20, 80 and GO, 100 and 225, 375 to 500
miles. The short races are chiefly TO
make them familiar with the position
and neighbofhoOd OF their home or