The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1890-12-28

tunately, is now generally understood by
pigeon raisers, although there was a time,
not SO very long ago, when the influence OF
the health of the mother bird on its young
was not clearly recognized. Newly
Matched birds, for example, are sometimes
afflicted with canker in the throat. That
used to be taken as an indication that the
little victims blood was in bad condition
and the young bird was treated while the
old hen was ignored. Pigeon fanciers who
keep up with the times and do little
thinking for themselves, now realize when
canker in the throat appears in young
bird that the mother birds stomach is out
of order, and that consequently the food
supply for the young is impure and some
what poisonous. Preliminary care and
cleanliness will nearly always keep your
birds in good condition, but if disease of
any kind should appear IN the lott, and
you are still inexperienced, don't depend
on published articles for ready-made cures.
Consult some experienced breeder or bird
fancier, in whom you have confidence, and
follow his directions III the treatment OF
your birds.
The best birds, most fanciers believe,
come from the March Matching, and these
are always the most sought for. The old
birds are permitted, however, to breed until
Nav, and are then put in training for the
racing season, which usually begins In the
middle of that month. 1t would be advis-
able, before Matching, to write to David
S. Rogers. of Philadelphia; the present
American Homing Pigeon Fanciers, and
order an officially registered seamless
hand or metal ring for each young
bird looked for. Each band will be
properly lettered and numbered, and the
letter and number will be registered IN
book, with the name OF the owner
opposite. Four days after the bird is
Matched the ring is slipped over one of its
feet and allowed to remain on the leg.
Within two weeks the foot viii have grown
so that it will be impossible TO remove the
band, and during the birds lifetime
it will remain on the leg, without
injuring it in any way. should
make record for one of your birds over
one of the numerous recognized long or
short distance courses, or over any course
that can be easily and accurately measured,
You write TO the racing secretary at least
two weeks in advance OF the proposed
tight, giving the letter and NUMBER OF
the bird and the starting point. a racing
representative connected with nelghbor-
ing honling club will be assigned 10 the
starting point and another representative
will watch at the home loft. Thus the hight
can be accurately timed, and II
new record is made it will be Of
hciallv placed to your birds credit.
Even should you not care TO ny your
birds for records you will Ind the regis
tered highlands useful, for some BIRDS
will at times go astrav, or get WOUNDED,
or become exhausted, and the regis
tered leg-band will enable the Under
TO ascertain the whereabouts of the right
full owner An honorable pigeon fancier
or loft owner viii always go out OF his way
TO see that such bird gets safely home.
The speed of homing pigeon depends
on the wind. the atmosphere. and the con-
dition of the bird. Il often happens that
a bird in good condition, with the atmos-
phere clear, and with a good stiff wind be-
hind them, can make from 1,JO0 yards to
one mile a minute. There are always some
birds that can make 500 miles IN the sun
light of single day. Ii tired at longer
distance, though, they wander, and rest,