The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-01-06

Ssz zs-s 1872 aV"
A HoMING PIGEON.
goons and horsenen were thus used,
but these being now developed into
fancy breeds. independent OF any such
purpose, the term carrier only created
confusion. For some time the names
of Flying Antwerp or Antwerp carrier
were used; but as the term Antwerp
has gadually attached itself 10 the
show variety developed from these
birds, general consent has at length
settled down to the name CT horning
pigeon. which exactly expresses what
is meant. The fact is, the birds used in
flying Journeys are of no fixed type.
and the extraordinary results attained
of late years have been gotuep by the
fusion of different strains. At least
three of these have been traced, one OF
them being the English dragon. the
second a really Belgian pigeon called
the snseaI9, which, from the round head
and occasional frill. was evidently OF
owl parentage: the third a roand-head-
ed, pearl-eyed, high-fiying bird called
the .cumulet. and which was evidently
related to the tumbler.
How Homers Were Bred.
All pigeons are strongly attached to
their homes, and viii fly back To them
as far as their powers allow. From
time imnenlurial this tendency has
been used TO make the birds carry mes
sages. as shown by Pliny and other
classical authors; and it was early
found that some strains. besides great
err powers of flight, possessed greater
intelligence. memory, power of obser-
walton. or other qualities which en-
abled them better than others to find
their way home. These snsfltal and
bodily qualities admit OF being Guilt
waited, like any others: and the foning
pigeon Is a bird which. originally bred
from various sources. has been per-
fected by simply breeding together the
best performers. irrespective of shape
or color The types vary q great deal
even now; some have long and THU
nlsh beaks. some short and thick. All
co.ors come from the same strain. and
the owl blood now and then comes out
in a frill on the breast. But all good
flyers win be found to have bold eye.
a capacious forehead and powerful
wings.
Some Memorable Flights.
The longest flight ever made by
l1on1ing pigeon In this country, and. as
far as I am able to ascertain the long
est In the world. was made by a bird
on September ., 1898, from Pensacola.
Fla, 20 FAN River. Mass. the distance
being 1.lss miles Another most re-
markable perfoygnan nee for long dis
lance over strange country is best
told in letter from John Sheppard,
OF Philadelphia, as follows:
1.-THE remarkable flight OF N7c0. ]
think, is without a parallel In pigeon
flying in America. Fse was sold from
our coop on May y. 1893. and was sent
with twelve others 10 Green Hay. Wis,
about SEQ miles I'm an air line. sfr. J.
NJ Frraussens kept him prisoner and
bred seven Youngsters from him. He
then sold him 20 a Mr.. Duchateau, who
mated him and kept him until T'ebru-
airy o. 1894 He then gave him his lib
erty He was found the fire. week In
March at his OLD comp In Philadelphia,
mated To t1snbier hen. Being an n
handel bird. no notice was taken OF
him. for we oniy flew cur n handed
birds 2e0 miles.
"a little circumstance occurred which
caused me 10 hnnt the bird up in our
brooks I then found he was sold TO
the gentlemen in Green Bay I then
wrote TO them asking them IL they had
lost any Of the birds had sent them:
If 80. 10 give me the nun1ber and sax
ard date when lost IN due time. on
April -. I received the information
that air Ducilatean iosst N731 on Feb
s7iavy % In she meantime ise had been
taken from the taInb.er ilear and was
mated 10 n homer and sittins. on eggs.
AS g Young bird we few him fTezn the
20a-yalle station three times. That was
the fun extent Of his flying. Every
foot ~ the ground was strange and un-
knawwa 10 him. II you look at the mp
you VIII see shat Green Bay ~ on the
lake 900 rifles north OF Chicago. II he
had crossed tia lake he would have en-
cossntered other large bodies Of water;
therefore IL ~ improbable that BIZ did
80.
'sT7ae course think he took was: He
skirte9 the lake shore 10 Chicago. siIea
headed south. ard 7ost 10 time IN COM
ing horne. for when saw the bird be
dtE not look as though be- had been
with Coxey's crowd. bat foos.ed spruce
and geufeel Strangely erlosgh. Iiis
ragra was Dandy Jim. He fl 4 very
stroag, powerful blue checker. full OF
determination ard Ttuck-"
Two noted washingssa BIRDS.
Two Of the n1oss noted birds ia the
Unstea Ssase.s are Row owned aad bred
by Washington farcier. As IN many
other respects, Washington nuw leads
~. tsgh ctaas pigeons One OF these.
called Gazabrlnus. Ia the cslanpsoa -
the world FOR speed Ia a long 5oslrney
Tsls ssr,f few from Greer's Depot.
C.. a distance ~ $50 msiies in ar air
line. in tire remarkable tisrM of nine