Evening journal., 1896-12-10
HOMING PIGEONS.
POINTS FROM FANclERe ON THESE
INTELLIGENT BIRDS.

Prime Importance.
What the peculiar gift is which en-
ables tho pigeon to return TO its home
from great distances IS matter upon
which authorities disagree. The most
general opinion among those who know
anything Of the subject is that the birds
hy by sight alone This theory would
seem TO be borne ont by tho fact that
the best and most highly bred Of racing
birds have frequently been lost in the
London fogs. The fact that instinct is
unerring and that the homing pigeon.
not only frequently errs, but exhibits at
times great indecision rs to the correct
course for him to pursue, seems to pre-
clude the idea that he is governed solely
by instinct The theory which is most
generally accepted is that the bird is
gifted with remarkable cycsight and
also with memory for landmarks which
is superior TO a similar faculty in any
/ other animal. That the bird possesses
high order of Intelligence IS shown from
/ the fact that homers which have become
lost in race will frequently return to
the room in which they have bccn kept
at the starting point of their speed test
In selecting hCming pigeons for rae.
/ ing purposes even the best fancicrs often
/ pick out birds as most like racers that
cannot fly 20 miles without becoming
lost The meanest, most scraggy looking
bird, without single good point, some
times leaves its handsome competitor,
who is, to all appearances, perfect in
physical proportions, far in the rear
Still, fanciers look with interest at four
points in homing pigeon which are
considered of primo importance. The
first OF these is, strange as the fact may
appear TO novice in the art, the eye.
Mr. Starr, one of tho foremost and mcst
successful Of American farcicrs, has
this to say Of The eye:
'Ihc white eye may mean the cuEu-
let, and, if So indicates that the bird
will fly high, have great endurance and
wing power If the eye is dark, the head
roand ard the bcak short aud close fit
ting there will ho a rrepondoranco of
the owl type, and tho result will be
that the bird will fly later at night than
any other tyre. But, whatover the char
octer Of the color the ball must extend
beyond the line Of the head and be so
placed that the bird should have a view
of what is behind as well as before it,
When bird returns from a Journey
over much new territory, this protrusion
Of the eyeball is greatly increased show
ing to what great strain the powers Of
vision have been subjected -
While Mr.. Starr, in common with
ether successful American fanciers, pays
little or no attention either 10 the size
or shape Of the head, this point ia tho
second at which European fanciers look
with interest 1t is generally conceded
that the shape makes but little differ
oncc The skull may lie fat, long and
marrow, CT high, short ard wide, bat Il
must hayo room for Tho b-aiu, and for @
large brain 40 that, or else tic ind 81
lot considered "a likely candidate fer
ing hCnCrs. C;Cct stress is laid Cn
this organ ly all Belgium and Holland
farciors, Lrt in this country the feature
is almost entirely overlooked
The chest should be bread ard is of as
great irpCc;1nco as TIE Wig. A nar.
row chested bird can fiy no great dis
tance without oxorting the muscles
which give fullness TO the brenst beyond
their endurance Tho wings and tail
should both be exceptionally long, as
the tail acts as n rudder, and the short
er wings require much added oxertion
for the same amount of flying.
Tho color Of pigeon hcs 10 signif-
canoe, but tho rule in breeding Is 60
cross the colors when practicable
Even the best bred of the homers
require most careful and Intelligent
training before they are entered in
races. While the physique Of the bird is
well developed mt tho age Of 10 weeks,
it is thought best to give a considerably
longer time for the brain TO develop be-
fore the bird is trained for the work
which lies ahead Of him. At the age Of
4 months the first trial trips may be
made, and he is then flown from dis
tances Of between and 30 miles at in
tervals OF two or three days apart
Many birds are lost in these trial trips,
and those which return safely from the
longer trial trips may be considered nt
/ W 'iiA'A III AuN 9hAIE IiAN AottH. J. Et
shortest Of these is 100 miles in length
and birds are not supposed TO be flown
more than 90 miles bCfCre taking part
in the speed trials.
For the young birds the system Of
training is supposed to accomplish two
widely different results In the first
place they teach the young bird to re-
turn TO his loft, and in the second they
develop tho muscles and prepare them
for tho hard work which the races will
require of them. Training trips for old
er birds are made with tho sole view Of
getting their muscles limbered mp again
and toughcned for the longer races 49,
/ Chicago Chronicle.
Mark Twain On Interviewing.
Mark Twain does not like 70 ho inter
viewed His opinion Of the literary
! ability of the average interviewer Is not