Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-07-19
SWIFT BIRDS OF FLIGHT.
HONIING PIGEONS STARTED ON
ALONG JOURNEY.

Nelson V. Ketchum started twelve hon.
ing pigeons from the roof of the MORN
ING NEWS building for a fly to keypprt,
NJ. The birds were taken to the ROOF OF
the building in large basket. The mo-
ment the lid was taken Oh out sQrang the
birds all together. There was WHIT OF
wings for a second, as tue pigeons raised
a little higher. and then they darteu on
across the river and over Hutchinson
Island. They were going due north, but
when they were over the middle OF the
island they clrcled around to the
east and came back on the east OF
the City Exchange and over the NEWS
building again, rising higher all the tlme'
Two more smaller circles were made,
and the flock went Off due west.
TAKING THEIR BEARINGS.
1t looked as though the birds
we're uncertain of their course, but
but the old darby who had carried the
basket, with many signs, up the stars
said that they were just taking their
bearings. lie spoke autnoritatiVely, and
said that the flock directed its course by
the sun. All this time the pigeons were
going toward Bryan county at the rate OF
about a mile minute. Before disappear
ing from sight, though, they changed their
course sharply to the northeast and sped
swiftly across the river. The last seen OF
them they were all close together, gong
towards Charleston and flying high and
randy. They were in sight just nVe
minutes and In that time must have COW
cred fully i've miles.
Mr.. Ketchum loosed two young birds of
his own. One started to follow the flock,
but was too Youag and soon dropped be-
hind and turned back. The other bird
was younger still, and it aid not venture
much of a fight. Mr.. ketc1um said that
they would both return home.
ALONG FLIGHT
The flock Of twelve belongs to Mr.. s. G.
Lambertson, Of keyport, \. j. The town is
lust across from New York. Mr.. Lambert
son began training his birds this spring
from the southwest, beginning with
Journey from Philadelphia, from which all
returned. A few days later the birds
were started from Havre de Grace, Md,
at a. M. The distance was III miles. |
SIX birds were nome together at 30 a.
m. Next the birds were started from |
Liberty, Va, 354 miles from keypOrt. |
Two were back by the middle of the after /
noon, their speed being about 81 miles an |
hour. June 20 ten were started from |
Monroe, 5. c., at 4. m. The distance air |
line Is 502 miles. The first pigeon got |
home at 4:4j the next morning. One WAS |
shot. Tue distance from Savannah 10 |
keypOrt, air line, is estimated at over $50 |
miles. Most Of the flock know the way |
from Monroe, ;. g., TO keynort, but the |
country between Savannah and Monroe |
is new to them. 1t is popularity Of the |
homIng pigeon that il flies fastest over |
strange country. Journeys OF 800 miles
nave several times been made by Amer
lean birds ia less than 30 hours. A year /
ago a Brooklyn bird made 800 miles in |
about Il hours. Nine of the pigeons that |
were started yesterday have been well |
trained. 1t will be remarkable time |
though il any OF the birds get home to-
day. They do not fly at night, and after a
hard days journey they are sore and tired |
and generally rest. Six keyport birds
that were started from Atlanta last May
were several weeks returning. one was
captured in Virginia and held prisoner
Tor "a good while.
USE OF THE BIRDS.
The most extraordinary long distance
tourney On record was made IN 1862 from
st. Sebastian, Spain, to Liege, 6l5 miles
air line. One bird returned the same
evening and fifteen were at home early
the next morning. Previously it was
such long flight in a single day. No
where is the sport OF pigeon flying so eX-
tensively practced as in Belgium. sun
day is race day. During the week birds
are sent out 10 various places by the car
load. 1t is said that in six months OF last
year one province alone sent over LOO
carloads of pigeons into France to be lib
Grated. Pigeon racing has become as
much Of a national sport to the Belgians
as base ball IS to Americans.
The best time that has been made is for
distances under one hundred miles. Al
Antwerp bird made 100 miles last year in
80 minutes, which was at the rate of a
mile in 4S seconds, far faster than any
"hghtning" express trains. The sport in
America mas sprung up within the last
htteen years.
HOW MESSAGES ARE EARNED.
The swiftness OF the homer and the
tolerable degree Of certainty that it will
return 10 its home make the bird a useful
and reliable mercury for mans services.
When they are flown simply for sport
nothing is attached to the birds save the
little brass leg band bearing the BIRDS
number. A private mark is stamped on
one Of the wing feathers. When mess
ages are sent by pigeon the paper bear
ing the message IL fastened securely to
one OF the tail feathers
During the races between the yachts
Puritan aud Genesta last September
pigeons were used to carry re-
ports of the race from the boats
to the shore. Each bird carried
not less than ten pages OF manifold note
or from 300 to 1000 words. Pigeons were
used very successfully, although against
strong wind, by a Boston paper during
the regatta last month. The birds were
liberated one at a time at various dis
tances from shore, and they made about
30 miles an hour.
a, De CardOva, a New York broker,
uses pigeons to carry reports from Wall
street 20 his country residence.
A California manufacturer claims that
be uses pigeons with success between his
home and his factories, 300 miles away.
IN TIMES or WAR.
The German army has military lofts,
which are the most complete In the world.
The French government is also training
pigeons. During the siege OF Paris 363
birds were sent out In sixty-four
balloons. Many of the pigeons
were caught or shot by the Prus-
slams, hut nevertheless 10000 official
dispatches and 1000, 900 private messages
were sent into Paris over the heads OF the
besieging army. The French have hit up.
on plan py which the pigeons are taught
to make the round trip between two sta
gtions themselves. While young the birds
are changed frequently from one place 10
the other and are given water at one sta