The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1896-12-04
HOMING PIGEONS.
POINTS FROM rANcIERS ON THESE
INTELLIGENT BIRDS.

Fly by Sight-The -Four Points In scm-
ing Pigeons Which Fancicrs Consider Of
Prime Importance.
What the peculiar gift is which en-.
ables the 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 il that the birds
fy ~ sight alone. This theory would
seem to 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 il
unerrinR and that the homing pigeon
not only frequently errs. but exhibits at
times great INDIGESTION as 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 il
gifted with remarkable eyesight and
also with a memory for landmarks which
is superior to a similar faculty in any
other animal. That the bird possesses a
high order Of intelligence is shown from
the fact that homers which have become
lost in a race will frequently return to
| the room in which they have been kept
at the starting point Of their speed test.
In selecting homing pigeons for rae
ing purposes eve the best fanciers often
pick cut 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 its handsome competitor.
who is, to all appearances. perfect in
physical proportions, far in the rear.
| Still, fanciers look with interest at four
points i'll a homing pigeon which are
considered Of prime Importance. The
first Of these is, strange as the fact may
appear to a novice in the art, the eye.
Mr.. Starr, one of the foremost and most
successful Of American fanciers, has
this to say Of the eye:
1.-THE white eye may mean the cumu.
let. and, if SO. indicates that the bird
will fly high. have great endurance and
wing power. If the eye is dark, the head
round and the beak short and close fit
ting, there will be q preponderance Of
! the owl type, and the result will be
that the bird will fly later at night than
any other type. But, whatever the char
acter Of the color, the ball must extend
beyond the line Of the head and be so
placed that the bird should have q view
| Of what is behind as we'll as before it.
| When a bird returns from a journey
over much new territory. this protrusion
| of the eyeball is greatly increased. show
ing to what q great strain the powers OF
I, vision have been subjected"
While Mr.. Stair, in common with
other successful American fanciers, pays
or shape Of the head, this point is the
second at which European fanciers look
with interest. 1t is generally conceded
that the shape makes but little differ
ence. The skull may be fiat, long and
narrow, or high, short and wide, hut ii
must have room for the brain, and for =
large brain at that, or else the bird is
not considered q likely candidate for
racing honors. Great stress IL laid Oh
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
lance without exerting the muscles
which give fullness to the breast beyond
their endurance. The wings and tail
should both be exceptionally long, as
the tail acts as q rudder, and the short
er wings require much added exertion
for the same amount Of fly ing.
The color Of a pigeon has no signif'
canoe, but the rule in breeding is tt
; cross the colors when practicable.
Even the best bred Of the bomer'
! require most careful and intelligent
training before they are entered il
races. While the physique Of the bird il
well developed ut the age of 10 weeks
it Is thought best to give q considerably
! longer time for the brain to develop be
? fore the bird is trained for the worl
P which lies ahead Of him. At the age O
: 4 months the first trial trips may b
| made, and he is then flown from dis
/ tances Of between 2 and 80 miles ut ! n
/ tervals Of two or three days apart
4 Many birds are lost in these trial trips
and those which return safely from tn
longer trial trips may be considered Il
;, to enter in the young bird races. Tn
shortest Of these il 100 miles in length
e and birds are not supposed TO be fiowl
g more han 90 miles before taking par
: in the speed trials.
ri For the young birds the system O
training is supposed to accomplish tw'
widely different results. In the frs
. place they teach the young bird to re
) turn to his loft, and in the second the
} develop the muscles and prepare Their
for the hard work which the will
e require Of them. Training trips for old
er birds are made with the sole view O
getting their muscles limbered mp agail
. and ~toughencd for the longer races. :
Chicago Chronicle.
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