The Natchitoches enterprise. (Natchitoches, La.) 1888-1965, 1897-02-18
HOMING PIGEONS.
POINTS FROM FANcIERs ON THESE
INTELLIGENT BIRDS

Careful Observers Declare That the lrda
Fly By sight-Tho -Four roints In Horn-
ing Pigeons svhieh Eanciera Consider Of
Prime Importance.
What the peculiar gift is which en-
ables the pigeon to return to its homo
from great distances Is a matter upon
which authorities disagree. The most
general opinion among those who know
anything Of the sunjeot Is that the birds
dy BY sight alone. This theory would
seem to be borne cut BY the fact that
the best and most highly bred Of racing
birds have frequently been lost in the
london foas. Tie fact that instinct is
unerring and that the honing 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 be 10 governed solely
by instinct. The theory which is most
generally accepted is that the bird il
gifted with remarkable egesight and
also with memory for landmarks which
IS superior to d similar faculty In any
other animal That The bird possesses a
high order Of intelligence is shown from
the fact thas homera which have become
lost in race viii frequently return to
the room ia which they have been kept
ut the starting point of their speed test.
In aelocting hdminR pigeons for rae
ing purposes even tho best fancsoza often
pick one birds ne most like racers that
lost The meanest, most soyaggy locking
bird. without d single good point some 4
times leaves its handsome competitor
who il, to all appearances, perfect in
physical proportions, far III the rear.
Still, fnnciers look with interest at four
points in homing pigeon which arc
considered Of prime importance Tho
first Of these is. strange as the fact may
appear TO q novice in the art, the eye
Mr.. Starr, one Of the foremost and most
successful Of American fanciers, has
this 20 cay OF the eye:
1.-THE white eye may mean the cumu-
let and, if 30. Indicates that the bird
will fly high. have great endurance and
wing power II the eye il dark. the head
rouA.d and tho beak short aud close At
ting, there Will be q preponderance Of
tho owl type. and the result will be
that the bird Will ny later at night than
my other type. But. whatever the char
ecter Of the 0clcr, the ball must extend
beyond she line Of the head and be 80
placed that the bird should have q view
OF what is behind Is we'll SIS before it
when bird returns from a journey
over much new territory, this prctrusion
Of the eyeball ia greatly increased, Ehcw-
ing 70 what q great strain the powers Of
vision have been subjected. T"
While Mr. Starr, in common with
other successful American fanciers, pays
little q no attention either to the size
on 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
ence. The skull may be fat long and
narrow, on high, short and wide, bat it
must hare room for the brain, and for a
large brain at that. O. else the bird is I
aaiun Aonox6 Great ckfess Is laid on
lhis organ by all Belgium and Holland
brt IN thislcountry the feature
s almost entirely overlooked.
The chest should be broad and IL Of an
great Importance as the wing. a mar
'ow cheStcd bird can fly no great dist
lanoe without exerting tho muscles
which give fuIlness to the breast beyond
heir endurance The wings and tail
Mould both be exceptionally long, a.
ihe tail acts as rudder, and tho short
r wings require much added exertion
or the same amount OF flying.
The color Of n pigeon has no gignid-
'ance, but the rule In breeding is TO
,rcEs the oolors when practicable
Even the best bred Of the honers
'eQuire most careful and intelligent
raining before they are entered in
aces. While the physique Of tho bird Is
we'll developed at the age Of 10 weeks,
{ in thought best to give a considerably
ougCr time for the brain to develop be-
ore the bird Is trained fos the work !
which lies ahead Of him. az the ago Of
months the flrst trial trips may BIZ &
made, and he is then flown from dis-I
innces Of between 2 and 90 miles at in
ieryals 81 two or three days apart
Many birds are lost in these trial trips,
md those which return safely from tho
onger trial trips may be considered TT
Q enter IL the young bird races The
shortest Of these is 100 miles in length,
md birds are not supposed to be flown
nora than 90 miles before taking part
n The speed trials.
For ihe young birds tie system IL
raining Is supposed to accomplish twa
ridely different results Ia tho frse 4
lace thek lsHch the yonng bird e. Ia 8
Irp 70 bis loft. ma ii the seoond thsy p
3veIop the muscles and prepare the1n a
n the hard work which the raoea Will Q
'quire Of them. Training trips for old /
r birds nre made with tho sole view Of
citing their muscles limbered up again
nd toughened for the longer races. -
Shieago Chronicle.
Mark Twain Tn rntawvrnv~frr~