The advocate., 1897-11-03

settle a controversy with the Figaro,
chartere a steamer and sent several
thousand homing pigeons from different
parts of the European coast to sea. The
editor OF the Figaro had claimed that
the pigeons would be useless 100 miles
from shore and would seasslck In rough
weather, but the results OF the trial
proved very different from these proph-
estes. The pigeons were liberated from
the steamer in patches of several hun
dred at 80, 125, and 325 miles, and a re-
markably large number, over 80 per
cent, reached their home lofts. The best
record was that Of French pigeon from
Tours, which made 465 miles In fifteen
hours.
This voyage lasted nearly two weeks
and none Of the pigeons were sick,
though the water was rough at times.
Encouraged by the success Of the for
eign navies, and above all by the success
of the birds from the Annapolis loft
during the cruise Of the great naval re-
view fleet in 1893 from Hampton Roads
to New York, the Navy Department has
allotted a part Of the general apprOpria-
tiOn for the last three years to the estab
lishment and maintenance Of lofts for
naval hOming pigeons at Boston, New
port, New York, Norfolk, Key West, and
Mare Island, the latter station having
been Just completed this summer. The
pigeon loft at Mare Island is considered
model one. 1t is a neat building, two
stories high, with wire-sCreened win
dows as well as regular glass sashes. On
the first floor Is the breeding and nest
ing quarters Of the winged messengers,
and here the walls are covered with lit
tie boxes like pOstoffiCe delivery. In
each box is an earthen bowl, where the
birds deposit their eggs and hatch their
young. The squads are tenderly cared
for by the skilled attendant in charge,
and grow very rapidly to full size AS
soon as they are able to fly they are
| taken to the room on the second floor,
which is the general living quarters Of
the working birds, and Is fitted with
rows of shelves and perches.
The youngsters are next taken out for
short flights, accompanied by older, we'll
trained birds, who thus act as guides or
monitors. The distances are gradually
increased until the youngsters learn
their lesson we'll, and find themselves" 1"
as it were, when they can be trusted on
long flights.
On one side of the cottage is a large
open air pOrtico, inclOsed by wire net
ting, and here the birds cOngregate in
fair weather to lOll on the perches in
the sun and coo to each other, In one
corner of the yard is the hospital glass
inclosed box, where the sick ones can be
separated from the others, and kept
warm and quiet with the special diet
suiting their malady. Every day the
hOmers are released for exercise, and it
is very seldom that any fail to return by
meal time, though the half-trained ones
sometimes desert to other lofts, going
home with stranger birds whose ac-
quaintance they pick up, but as they
grow older they acquire more dignity,
and rarely associate with inmates of
other lofts than their own.
The birds are given practice fights
from sea by sending them out on the
regular steamers from San Francisco,
as we'll as on departing men-of-war, and
liberating them with messages at diff
ferent distances out from port.
They are taken to sea in small cages,
with careful directions printed thereon
for feeding and caring for them and
sending them in with a message.
When dispatch Is to be sent in two
birds from the same cage are picked out,
the message is written in duplicate on
small pieces Of thin paper, and each is
placed in small aluminium case, one
of which is attached to the leg Of each
messenger. Two are sent together, since
they fly better in company, and there is