The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-02-07
POINTS ADoUr HOMIN0 PIG CONS.
How tho Racers Are Bred and Trained
Their Intelligence.

The peculiar faculty that enables n pigeon
to return to its home from great distances Is
a point about which authorities disagree. The
theory which Is most widely accepted is that
the bird is gifted with remarkable eyesight
and with n memory for landmarks superior to
that OF any other creature, The former the
DRY thu the birds were guided exclusively by
instinct seems dIsproved by the frequency
with which even the best trained and highest
bred homers have been lost in fors. During
the recent Poultry Shcw. when several OF the
pigeon fanciers were interviewed on the
rearing and training OF homing pigeons,
one OF varied experience said;
Instinct Is unerr!nc. and the fact that the
homitG pigeon not only frequently eTrs hut
Mt times shows great indccislon rs to the route
IL will take proves conclus!vcly that II is not
governed entirely by instinct. There is no
doubt that tho birds possess n high order c,
intelligence. which Is often shown when they
become lost In n race by their return to the
room In which they have been kept AZ the
~s.arting point.
1.-THE color u n pigeon does no. signify. hut
the rule In brcediag is 10 cross the colors when
practicable. In selecting homcrs for racing
even the beat fancicrs are often mistaken and
select birds that cannot iiv twenty-five miles
without being lost. Often the meaaest look
ing bird. apparently without n good point,
leaves its handsome rival behind. Still. there
are four points ALWAYS considered in selecting
and breeding homing pigeons for racing pur-
poses. These points are the eyes. the size OF
the head. the width OF the chest. and the
length OF the tail and wings"
In speaking OF the eye, one successful fan
cIer has this to say; The white eye may
mean cumulct. and. II SO, indicates that The
bird viii Nv high. have great endurance and
wing, power, IT. the eye IL dark; the head
nAaA.l nRl Nhn ln.l ElNEg nnI slNaA ID
there will he n prrp0nleranc- OF the owl type,
and this bird will in all probability It's later
ever the coIor. the ball mus extend beyond
the line OF the head and lie 81 placed that the
bird should have view o' What Is behind IT.
turns from n Journey over much ncT territory,
This protrusion Of the rvebali is greatly in,
creased, indici ting to what n great strain tho
powers OF vision have been subjected"
To the second point. the size and shapc OF
lean fnncicrs, though the Europeans look upon
II as OF prime importance. IL Is GENERALLY con
coded by Americans that he shape mn"ns, very
little difference. The skull may be- HAT, long.
and narrow or nigh, short, and wide. bat Il
must have room for the brain, and for a largs
laid on this feature In Belgium md Holland.
| Importance. IL should he full and bro ID. \
narrow-chestcd bird can fy no great distance
ness I, the breast hrvond their endurance.
The wings and tail should he exceptionally
long. ~ the tail acts rs 4 ruddcr, and liz"
shorter Wings require mach added %HNevtiOu for
the same amount OF diving. There ARE some
rnncIcrs who contend that the first Matching II
the season are no, to Il" preferred for racing,
but the majority nay no attention to hat.
liut cyrn III" best. bred homrrS have to 10
trained carefully mud intelligcHtly le!ovr thCy
are entered III RACES. Wnile tuL ~nysique ~
the average bird l.. well developed nj tne age
Ot ten we, ks. II 4 ~ generally considered hest 10
give II much longer time for the brain e de-
Nelnr before tho bird Is trained for work. u
uully ut tho age NJ toul months the first TRIAL
trip is mace. II" II then How from distance,
between two ard scvelGy miles ut intervals OF
two or three days. May excellent birds are
lost IN these trial trims, and those Who return
after n reasonable time are considered nj 10
he entered In the young birds races. The
shortest OF these tnccS Is one hundred miles,
and birds nrc not supposed 10 have been
flown more IMAM ninety LILIES before IN ding
pRrt In these speed trials.
This system at training IL supposed to accom-
alish two widely different results for the young
bird. In the first place II teaches them 10 re-
turn To their LOFTS, aud in the second they dc.
velop the mu.cles ard prepare them Tor the
hard work which the races Will require OF
them. For tho old birds these training trips
ara made with tho sole view OF getting their
muselss ltmtsred up again and touKhsned for
tho longer raoeA