Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1890-12-18
HOMING PIGEONS.
SOMETHING ABOUT THEIR
HAUNTS AND HABITS
They are Keen Eyed and Intelligent
Some Very Remarkable Journeys
and Feats of Endurance.

the recent American Institute Fair in
this city was an exhibition of something |
like thousand homing pigeons. The
birds were the property OF the various
members of the Federation of American
IIoming Pigeon Fanciers. The eXhlo-
ition at the Fair was the tenth annual
show of the kind which has been held |
by the owners of homing pigeons.
OF the thousands of persons who fol-
lowed the line of cages wherein the
beauties of the air were confined, there
was not more than one out of a hundred
whohad even a faint idea of the nature
of these home loving birds, or who did
not apply to them the familiar but in
correctly used name of 'carriers."
The carrier pigeon is the bird OF song
and story 1t has ribbon about its neck
and scented love knot hanging upon
its white breast; and when it is pictured
most likely it is about to leave the hand
of some fair maid on mission of tiirta-
ton.
The homing pigeon is not this kind of
bird. 1t is a creature of action, gifted
with the highest intelligence, the keenest
sight, a tenacious memory, and a supreme
love of home. This last-namcd charac-
teristic is the incentive which gives
power to the other faculties of the bird
and enables it to cover thousands of
miles of strange country, always in a di-
rect line for its home. 1t is q well-known
fact that homing pigeon has only one
home, and within that home only one
! perch. Birds which have been caught
and held for years, have, upon being
| liberated, sailed into the air and returned
to the one spot they knew as home.
1t is little known that within the i'm
mediate vicinity of New York pigeons
are more widely used as couriers than
in any other part of the country. A
hunter occasionally finds in his game
bag a bird of "rcfned" plumagc and
differing in frame from the dove and
other pigeons he may have shot. A
closer examination reveals to him num-
Der on narrow band of metal about the
birds leg close to the claw. He has shot
wanderer returning home, and often
along the quill of the wing has been
found a message.
Homing pigeons are used extensively
for business purposes, as well as in war
and love. The CANCEL of the Siege" n
bird which made many a journey to Paris
when the Germans had closed all the
gates, is celebrated in history and verse.
A. De Cordova, the Wall street broker,
during the summer months has employed
the homing pigeons to convey messages
of the stock reports from New York to
his summer residence at North Branch.
The system was great success. Even
longer distances are covered by these
swift and sure flyers. The home of many
| n ,,,opufoot,,rar 10 hrpuuht yarv clocn n
him by bird flight, while for obtaining
news of yacht racing from the yachts
themselves no other means has been
found practicable.
Many interesting stories are told of the
wonderful feats of endurance and intel
ligence accomplished by homing birds.
Three of the five birds having 1000
mile records were shown at the fair.
They were Petroleum, the property of
George II. Bowerman, Newark; WaXem,
belonging to w. b. Garfabrandts, also
of Newark, and Montgomery, a bird
from the lofts of j. II. Husson, New
York. The flight of Petroleum and
Waxem is of great interest, as their
records stand unbroken. 1t is told as
follows
On the morning of August 8, 1880,
twelve birds were liberated at Mississippi
City, Miss. They were owned by George
w. Bowerman, w. b. Garrabrandts,
Ben Elwell and VIM. Bennett, members
of the Newark Fine Homing Club, of
Newark, N. j. The morning was clear
and beautiful, very light breeze blow
ing towards the south. The birds rose
200 feet, paused in air moment and
sailed away in bee line for their homes,
1,003 miles away. The first bird heard
of was one Wizard, belonging to Mr.
Bowerman. 1t had been shot on August
II, at West Point, Miss. This Wizard
was one of the gamest birds that ever
scared the air Half of his lower bill
had been shot away in the June previous
to his death while on fight of 300
miles; but not withstanding his wound
he reached his loft, his bill shattered and
his breast covered with blood, which
had flown from the wound and hardened
rs he flew. Other birds were trapped.
One had flown to porch at Seneca Mills,
Md. A Miss Magaha caught the pigeon,
and finding it TO be homer notified the
race secretary. Later the bird was liber-
ated and went on its way. Both Waxem
and Petroleum were trapped in the same
liberated at the same time, after having
rest of several days, and both made
their lofts in Newark in due time.
Petroleum is a silver cock of rather
small size, thick set, with plump round
head and eyes of remarkable brilliancy.
He has been flyer ever since he was
sure of good coat of feathers. On one
of his early pilgrimages from Whining
ton, Del, the bird returned covered with
petroleum-hence his name. Petroleum
was half-brother of Wizard, the gamey
little bird spoken of above.
Another incident of the strength of the
homing instinct in these pigeons is told
of bird belonging to Mr.. Baldwin. A
gentleman walking in the country with a
retriever dog as his companion was as
tonshed by seeing in his pets mouth a
pigeon. Upon examination the bird was
found to bear number and the owners
name upon the wing. Mr.. Baldwin was
notified. The gentleman into whose
hands the bird had fallen was requested
to keep the pigeon until it had recovered,
and then to liberate it, The bird was
petted and its wound healed; then its
cage was opened The following day
the bird arrived at the loft of its owner
and took its place on its accustomed
perch. 1t was supposed that the bird
had flown beyond its strength, had fal-
len to the ground, and was resting when
seized by the dog.
The Federation of American Homing
Pigeon Fanciers. which is an organiza-
al, g Al