Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1896-12-15
NUMBER so.
HOMING PIGEONS.
POINTS FROM FANcleRS ON THESE
INTELLIGENT BIRDS.

|
Careful Observers Declare That the Birds
Fly by sight-The Four Points In HON.
ing Pigeons Which fsnciers Consider Of
Prime Importance.
What the peculiar gift is which en-
ables the pigeon 10 return TO It's home
| from great distances is matter upon
which authorities Asagree. The most
general opinion among those who know
anything Of the subject is that the birds
| fly by sight alone. This theory would
seem 10 be borne out by the 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 indecisiOu AS 10 the correct
course for him 10 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 eyesight and
also with memory for landmarks which
is superior 10 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 10
the room in which they have been kept
at the starting point a their speed test.
In selecting homing pigeons for rae
ing purposes even the best fanciers often
pick out birds as most like racers that
cannot fly 20 miles without becoming
lost The meanest, most scraggy looking
bird, without a single good point some
times leaves it, handsome competitor,
who Is, to all appearance, rtcct in
physical proportions, far IN the rear.
Still fancicrs look with inter-, u ~ four
points in homing pigeon which are
considered Of prime Importance. The
first Of these j., strange a. the fact may
appear 10 novice IN the art, the eye.
Mr. Starr, one If the foremost and most
successful of American fanciers, has
this to say Of the eye;
''The white eye may mean the cumu-
let, and, If so. indicates that the bird
will fly high, have great endurance and
wing power II the eye j. dark, the head
round and the boak short and close fit
ting, there will be "a propondorance Of
the owl type. and the result will be
that the bird will fly later az night than
any other type. But, whatever the char.
acter Of the color, the bal. must extend
beyond the line of the head and be so
placed that the bird should have view
Of what i behind as well as before IT,
When bird returns from a journey
over much new territory. this protrusion
Of the cyehall l. greatly increased, show
ing 20 what great strain the powers Of
vision hay, been subjected.
While Mr.. starr. IN common with
other successful American fancicrs, pays
little or no attention either 10 the size
or shape OF the head, this point is the
second at which European fanciers look
with interest II l. generally conceded
that the shape makes but little differ
encc. The skull may be flat, long and
narrow, or high, short and wide, bat it
must have room for the brain, and for "A
large brain at that, or else the bird Is
not considered likely candidate for
racing honors Great stress is Land on
this organ by all Belgium and Holland
fanciers, but in this country the feature
is almost entirely overlooked
The chest should be- broad and is Of as
great Importance as the wing. a mar
row chested bird can fly no great dis
tance without cxcrting the muscles
which give fullness TO the breast beyond
their endurance. The wings and tail
should both bo exceptionally long, as
the tail acts rs rudder, and the short
er wings require much added exertion
for the same amount of flying
The color Of pigeon has no signif-
canCe, but the rule IN breeding Is TO
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 at the age Of 10 weeks,
it i thought best TO give considerably
longer time for the brain 10 develop be-
ltIt tut blIU J. lIdlH'h lbI tu' holh
which lies ahead Of him. At the age Of
4 months the first trial trips may be
made, and he j. then flown from dis
tances of between . and 80 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 fit
TO enter in the young bird races. The
shortest Of these Is 100 miles III length,
and birds are not supposed to be flown
more than 30 miles before 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 the muscles and prepare them
for the hard work which the races will
require Of them. Training trips for old
er birds are made with the sole view Of
getting their muscles limbered up again
and toughened for the longer races
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