Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1897-02-25

Prime Importance.
What the peculiar gift is which en-
ables the p,cccn 70 return 10 its home
from great distances is "a matter npon
which authorities disagree. The most
general opinion among those who know
ANYTHING Of the subject is that the birds
fy by sight alone. This theory would
seem 10 be borne out by the fact that
tbe best and most highly bred of racing
birds have frequently been lost i'll the
London fops. The fact that instinct is
uuerring and that the homing pigeon
not only frequently errs, but exhibits at
times great indecisiOn as to the correct
course for him TO pursue, seems to pre-.
olude the idea that he is governed solely
bv 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 suuerior to Il similar faculty i'll any
other animal. That the bird possesses a
high order Of intelligence is shown from
the fact that homers which have become
lost in race VIII 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 even the best fanciers often
pick cut birds as most like racers that
cannot fly 90 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. fauciers look with interest TT four
points in a booming pigeon which are
considered Of prime Importance. The
first of these is, strange as the fact may
appear TO novice in the art, the eye
Mr.. Starr, one Of the foremosG and most
successful Of American fauciers, 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 II the eye is dark, the head
round and the beak short and close fit
ting, there VIII be preponderance of
the owl type, and tho result viii be
that the bird will fly later at night than
any Other tyre. But, whatever the char
actcr Of the color, the ball must extend
beyond the Inns of the head and be SO
placed that the bird should have view
Of what is behind as well az before it.
When 4 bird returns from a journey
over much new territory, this prOtrusion
of the cy,llli is greatly increased, show
ing tawhat a great strain the powers of
vision have been subjected.
While Mr.. STAR, in common with
! other successful American fanciers, pays
little or no attention either to the size
or shape of the head. this point is the
second at which European fanciers look
with interest. II is generally conceded
that the shape makes but little differ
encc. The skull may be fiat, long and
narrow, or high, short and wide, but it
must have room for the brain, and for a
large brain at that, or else the bird IS
not considered q likely candidate fer
racing hOm0rs. Great stress is laid on
thi. organ by all Belgium and holland
fauciws but in this country the feature
almost entirely overlooked.
The chest should be broad and is of as
great Importance as the wing. A mar.
bow chosted bird can fly no great dis
tanco without eXcrting 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 rudder, and the short
cr wings require much added eXertion
Tor Che same amount Of flying.
The color Of pigeon has 10 signiti
caucc, but the rule in breeding is to
cross the colors when practicable,
Even the best bred of the homers
Require most careful and intelligent
uUnug before they are entered in
Tac.,, While the physique of the bird is
Well developed at the age Of 10 weeks,
II Is thought best to give considerably
longer time for the brain 10 develop be-
l0re the bird is trained for the work
(which lies ahead of him. AT the age of
months the first trial trips may be
madc, and he is then flown from dis
taureS VI between and 90 miles at III
teryals Of two or three days apart.
MANY birds are lost in these trial trips,
ana those which return safely from the
ohgDr trial trips may be considered fit
10 enter in the young bird races. The
'hcTi.st Of these is 100 miles in lencth.
and birds are not supposed to be flown
h0fe than so miles before taking part
n IN" peed trials.
FOR the young birds the system Of
RAINING Is supposed to accomplish two
lg'ly different results In the first
a.e they teach the young bird to re-
lio 20 his loft and in the second they
'.lop The muscles and prepare them
'.a bard work which the races will
4U" Of lhrn. Training trips for old
uEas made with the sole view Of
,l.H tHlr scles limbered up again
.a Jay-aeu for the longer races. -
@el-g .hr lie.
Ma"., 81 on Interviewing