Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1892-02-12
Some Remarkable Examples of What
Animals Have Been Trained
to Do.
Birds We're Employed in South Amer
lea to Watch the Sheep Of
Herders.
Ia Africa Balloons were Used as Ser
wants and Handled Articles
Cleverly.

n
astonlshed at the maneavres of focks of
what ne supposed were wild pigeons, one
band being white and flashing like silver
spangles against the heavens, while the
others were dark They retained their in.
dlviduallty perfectly, never mixing, and
wheeling about as if going through a
regular drill. Now rising, turning this
way and that, again sweeping down with
great velocity, separating into columns,
and appearing to be engaged in an intr1-
cate drill maneuvre.
So regular was their flight, and so
artificial withal that the observer De
came convinced that the birds were
trained.
Finally he questioned bystander, who
seemed amazed that he did not understand
the exhibition, and pointed out to the
stranger man who stood in tower not
far away, and who with flag was direct
ing the movements of the birds. Modena
has always been lannon's for its trained
pigeons, and large numbers of focks are
IN the vicinity. The trained pigeons. like
toxhounds, are the defendants Of ancestors
that centuries ago went through the same
mandu vres at the command of their own
ers. The birds are called triganica, while
the piSeon-tyers are known as triganieri
the art of pipeon-fying having been
handed down from father to son for cen
turtles.
Modena of to-day is said TO possess at
least 100 fiocks of trained pigeons, each
composed of several hundred birds so we'll
disciplined that the whistle or wave of the
flag IN the hands of their owner is sutf-
Gent to produce remarkable results.
IN oIden times the triganieri used cor
net to direct the birds, out at present the
whistle is in favor, the directors placing
their fingers IN their mouths and produc-
ing loud shrill calls which are heard a long
distance, and which the birds obey i'm
mediately. The remarkable command
which the pigeon-fyers have over the
birds is due in great measure to the
generations of training which tie birds
have had. They are perfectly tame, so
that when the owner approaches and losses
one into tie air it immediately returns
while the others crowd about him and
aIight upon his head and shoulders.
This singular sport is not INDUCED in so
much to day as formerly, when the pigeon
flyers took much pride in their Aocks and
gave remarkable exhibitions.
Thus one flyer would declare war against
a neighbor, and from an elevation direct
his flock at that of another pigeon flyer
so that it would single out the enemv's
birds and bear them off iii which case the
owner was obliged to redeem them by pay
ing the IT value
In very early days more war-like
methods were practiced. For exempIe, a
bottle of powder, with fuse attached,
was borne by pigeon, which, at the word
of command, would dart into a neighbor-
ing flock and drop it, thus killing numbers
Of the birds.
The exhibitions of fancy flying were
very fine, owing to the various hues, the
focks usually being OF solid colors-blue
brown or white, and when wheeling about
they presented very attractive appear.
ance.
Pigeon flying in olden times was not
confined to the Italian city of Modena
alone, as it has been popular in the north
err cities of India from time immemo-
rial, the old books and histories describing
the sport.
Birds have been trained and edu .ated to
obey man from the earliest days, and there
are few that cannot be taught The little
sparrows carried about by travelling fakirs
show what can be done with the smaller
kinds. Birds are harnessed to wagons and
chariots, others sit In the seats as riders
or drivers, with all the dignity that might
be expected. Others act as soldiers and
march away to arrest a little bird found
guilty as spy; the victim is blindfoIded,
the company drawn up in row, and at
the word of commanl the executioner hops
upon a lever, fires the miniature gun, and
the spy drops in pretended death, to be re-
yived Immediately by two or three seeds
offered by the director and owner of the
exhibition.
In watching performances of this kind
it is almost impossible to believe that the
birds do not realize exactly what they are
doing, but if the truth were known they
are but following implicitly the lines they
have been taught. This is true of the So
called tattering birds. They have no
ide of what they are saying, merely re-
peating sentences which they have heard,
and giving rein to tdeir initiative faculty.
This is difficult to understand, SO appro-
pirate are some of the remarks of tatterine
birds.
Some years ago the captain of an East
India vessel had parrot noted for itswittV
sayings At one port the vessel owing to
the shallowness Of the water, was obliged
to lie outside, the passengers being lower
ed to boats in chair. 1t came the turn of
a very fussy old lady to be lowered down,
who expressed great indignation at the
crude appliances. The men stood by the
rope, and she was poised over the waves,
waiting for an opportune moment when
the wicked parrot, Initiating the voice of
the officer, screamed out, Lower away!'
the man promptly slackened off
the line. sousing the old lady into a big
wave. A parrot of my Acquaintance al
ways said goodbye when anyone went
out, and if the door was left open a curt
shut the door," would be heard that
often astonished those who were not ia
miliar with the bird.
4 parrot once owned by a French king
could repeat the Lords Prayer in Latin,
reclining upon its back at the time with
claspad feet in the air. Such acts appear
yet are not so much so as the
and imatative faculties of
The mocking- bird, bullfnch, mino bird, !
raven, and others. The common mocking-
bird is famous III this respect, and in |
southern California its notes may be |
heard on every hand, initiating other birds |
Or uttering the calls of the valley or ping |
so quail.
A most remarkable mocking-bird was
owned by neighbor of the writer The |
bird was hung on the verandah, facing
the street, and there was no sound that |
this wonderful bird did not essay. in the
was a pet donkey that |
brayed after the manner of its kind, and |
when not initiating the bark of dogs, the
newing of cats, the creeking of the
Chinanians unoiled cart-wheel, this bird |
amused itself by producing the bray Of the
l,,&lf,,ltx- {bn3 oa,,il /