The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1890-12-28

time 1t will remain on the leg. without in
juring it in any way. Should you then at
any time desire to make a record for one of
your birds over one of the numerous rec
oRnized long or short distance courses, or
over any course that can be easily and &C.
cnrately measured, you write to the racing
secretary at least two weeks in advance of
the proposed flight, giving the letter and
racing representative connected with a
neighboring homing club will be assigned
to the starting point and another represen-
tative will watch at the home loft. Thus
the flight can be accurately timed, and
if new record is made it will DO off,
Even should you not care to fly your birds
for records you will find the registered
log bands useful. for some birds will at
times go astray, or get wounded, or become
exhausted. and the registered leg bnnd will
enable the finder to ascertain the where
abouts of the rightful owner. An honor
able pigeon fancier or loft owner will al
ways go out of his way to see that such u
bird gets safely home.
The speed of homing pigeon depends
upon the wind. the atmosphere and the
condition of tho bird. It often happens
that a bird in good condition. with the at
mosphere clear. and with good stiff wind
behind him can make from 1900 yards to
one mile minute There are always some
birds that can make five hundred miles
in sun light of a single day. II tried at
longer distance. though. they wander
and rest and find their home. if at all, with
much difficulty. and after many days. The
two champion long distance birds of last
summer are "Waxen'' and Petroleum."
owned respectively by Mr.. Garrabrants and
Mr.. Bowerman, both of Newark N. J..
These birds were liberated early in the sea-
son in Mississippi City. Miss, and reached
their lofts, 1.0y8 miles distant. the one in
twenty seven days and the other in twenty
nine days. This is the longest homing
pigeon flight on record, although some
other birds have covered more than thou
sand miles. The longest distance pre-
viously recorded is that OF Montgomery"
owned by Joseph r. Husson, of New York,
which made 1851 miles.
But thousand mile flights are both rare
and risky. and many good birds started on
them have been lost forever. Much more
interesting are the quick five hundred mile
flights. There are now about twenty pig
cons in the United States that have started
in the morning and covered five hundred
miles before sunset of the same day.
Among them are Ned Damen," owned by
Mr.. Goldman. of Brooklyn; alexander
the Great" owned by A. H. Kruger, of
Germantown Pa; loco owned by a:
owned by Jacob F. Iverson, of Brooklyn.
and that other Brooklyn bird, the .'Dutfer, :"
known wherever pigeon fanciers exist in
the United States rs 1.-The Ideal Homer
The "Duffer' is four years old, and is
owned by Louis w. Spangehl, New York
| business man, whose Brooklyn loft on the
roof of his private house is one of the best
| in the country. The "Duffer' early be-
came famous as prize winner in races of
from one hundred to Ave hundred miles.
easily defeating numerous and notable
| competitors. Nine first prizes in all il won
| for it's owner and it would probably be
| winning prizes still but for the fact that il
| has become too valuable as a breeder to
| risk it now upon the road" For the
"Duffer" has already famous successors.
His eldest son "Duffer H." has won eight
prizes. including the first special prize in
the recent great concourse race of four hun
dred miles, with 22..3 birds competing, The
race was hard one, from the Rocky Noun.
tain, Va. to Brooklyn, and only thirteen of
tle birds reached their lofts on the
day of liberation. This bird, however. ia
not the only one of the 'Duffer's'' which
has become lannon's. - uffer III is also
prize and diploma winner. and has made
his 500 miles. Still another youncster of
the same family, "Duffer w." made last
summer the best performance for 800 miles
| Of a1y bird of the 1890 hatch. and of "Baby
Duter. still in the coop. great things are
.xpected, while three of the original 'sDuf-
, fer's' daughters are also among the di-
i p oma winners. No wonder then that old
'Duner" is NO longer risked on the road.