The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1893-05-20
CARRIER-PIGEON SPORT.
Recent Experiments with the Birds-Thei
Speed Generally Overestirnated.

Recent Experiments with the Birds-Thei
Speed Generally Overestirnated.
OF late years the interest in carrier
pigeons has been very considerably en-
HANGED. Belgium takes the lead, bu
the other countries are not far behind
The facility with which the carrier
pigeon determines its course is as ye'
unexplained To attribute this knowl
edge OF direction to instinct is merely {
confession of ignorance. 1t is much
rather sight, reflection, and sensation
which guide the carrier-pigeon on IT:
rourse. and rarely guides it wrong. The
same faculty is possessed by all migra
tory birds To form an intelligent con
ceptien of this faculty, we must either
assume a special sense. or delicate sen
sitiveness to atmospheric currents
Experiments by balloonists have
shown that pigeons are incapa
bic Of flying at any great
height. Birds thrown out at 5000
meters fell like dead ard even at the
moderate height Of 800 meters pigeons
liberated by the halloonist CASTOR Tis-
sander approac hed the earth in spira
course 1t is evident hence that they
are no. guided wholly by sight. To
bring point 300 miles distant within
the range of vision, it would be neceS-
Sary to ascend nearly 10000 meters.
The carrier-pigeon, starting on such a
journey, must consequently start with
faith in the unseen.
As regards the speed of fight of car
rier-pigeous, there is considerable d.
vengeance of opinion. The Belgian
birds are admittedly the best. and the
greatest achieved speed Of Belgian
bird is given as 1as kiloneters tower
nipetymilcs) within the hour. In
fsvora BILE weather q good bird will
cover thirty to thirty-fve miles in an
hour. The greater che distance the
smaller the probability of the prompt re-
turn Of the bird. At adista nee of say 100
miles almost all birds return sefelv If
the weather is favorable. but at dis
tances of 400 or 500 miles it is impossi-
HE to reckon confidently on the bird s
return. IL appears curious. but it is a
well-esta hlished fact that as the bird
nearS its home its speed is accelerated
The question has frequently been
raised IA TO whether the male or fe-
male pigeon is the better for racing
contests. Practically. there is nothing
70 choose between them when both are
in condition, but laying female should
never he taken for the sport.
The carrier-pigeon is not as many
suppose. a distinct variety All domes-
tic pigeons are presume bly, descended
from the slue'rock pigeon. and all are
more or less suited to the purpose. The
common pigeon is rot used. for. al
though a rapid flyer for short dis
tances, he has no great staying powers
One of the best pigeons scr the pur-
pose is the tumbler COLUMBIA gyratrise)
whose sense or sensation of direction is
very strongly developed. and who rare
w loses his yay. The tumbler flies
higher than most birds of the genus,
and will continue .eircling in the air for
hours; he has all the necessary staying
power for long fight, and great love
q his home. Stilfmany of these birds
leave much to be desired. In the first
place. they are likely to waste time be-
fore setting out an their return: again,
they are liza ele 10 fall victims to birds
Of prey; and. lastly, they are especially
liable to diseases of the. eye, which fire.
quently result even. IA total loss of
sight. Another bird of equal speed and
endurance is the Persian carrier"
Ia the first year the trainer rarely
let's the test exceed FROM so 10 30 miles;
the following year The distance may be
extended to csc miles. and in the third
year when the hiYd is At the heigh, of
SITS powers. the limit may be extended
so or 400 miles.
In the last year of the training. the
first flight is from 100 To 100 miles. ter
minating in a contest which usually ex-
tends ia bout 800 miles. The longest
contests are froB, 400 to 1eo miles. Be
fore entering a bird for the contest it
should ne carefully examined as to its
fitness. and the feet cleaned. washed.
siried and oiled Some trainers start
their birds with empty crops with the
,dea that il will ma Ike them more eagcr
10 get home. This is great mistake.
The famished bird is liable to be ex-
hausted by long-sustained eifort.-Der
Stein der Weisen.