Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-04-17
GETTING SLEEPY" READY FOR A FLIGHT.

tractor, has over 200 of his birds for
navy service one of them being Gaines
Vile" the celebrated homer VINO hnlshed
second in the world famous race, when
the winner flew COO miles from sunrise
20 sunset.
with these birds, messages can be sent
10 Washington in the midst OF battle
at sea, giving the full details of the con-
nict The Washington authorities could
act upon the news and supply more ships
or otherwise relieve the situation.
So highly does France estimate the
value OF pigeons in case of war, that IL
recently passed law that homing pig
cons from other countries should not DC
admitted to France except under the
strlctest conditions. The French army ana
navy authorities realize that III case Oh
war these pigeons could be released anu
could carry to the opposing country cor
rect news OF the doings in France. II
will. therefore, not allow any trained ior-
eign pigeons to become residents Vi
. France. g..
Inc instinct of the homing pigeon Is
always for home. You may take 1t away
and keep it for six months, yet on Tvs
release 1t will fly up into the ar clfcle
round and round for moment uieh
[ dart in the direction Of its own NOME
/ That is instinct
| Scientists claim that there IS noihihs
( wonderful In the instinct Of the homlnS
! pigeon They say that the the pigeon MES
| high enough to get d view OF the lahu-
| scaDe. and that 1t has an eyesight Whlch
| is phenominally powerful In proportion
} To lis size. When it reaches suf1clent
| height il takes in the situation and, see
| ing its familiar shores from the distance,
! darts rapidly in that direction. IN thls
| way it can regain its home.
Should the pigeon at times be mistaken
| ana fly slightly out of its course, it will
| alter It's night and reach It's home UNI
/ erringly il given the proper time.
Take the case of the Andree pigeon,
| which made a long trip from the bal
| loon. IL was shot while resting on a
vessel The bird had travelled 100 miles
/ from Andree's balloon toward Stock
| holm, then seeing no land had turned
! and came twenty-four miles north again
! Naturally exhausted, ii sank to rest upon
| the STAFF of Il vessel and was 50 tired thal
! it puts it's head under its wing. Fear
! ing that it would fly If disturbed, sailor
| shot the bird, took IL up out OF the water
/ and read the message under It's wing
! The fancier who trained the bird SalC
/ that ii flew twenty-four miles to rest Oh
the vessel, but after resting IT would have
retraced its course toward Stockholm.
of late where pigeons have been trained
| for mercantile purposes Mr.. Alfred Cor
doVa, a member OF the New York Stocb
Exchange, by employing his weL-tralneo
hOming pigeons has remained at home IL
North Branch, n. j., for days al a time
and successfully conducted important
transactions at the Stock Exchange IL
New York He calls his pigeons Bull,
Bear" Ticker and Tape"
They carry his messages to the Stool
Exchange in less time than he coul'
wire them SLEEPY" one of the httl
champion homers, can fly 1888 yards pc
minute. She is one of the swiftest OF al
birds. In New Jersey where many nom
ing pigeons are trained, something ma
/ TO be done to guard against the mischiev
| Gus temptation to shoot them on IN
wing. therefore it was made misdemed
nor TO trap or shoot a homing pigeon.
In the regular pigeon stations con
nected with the army and government
there are provisions made for the receI
ton of the pigeons. A homing pigeon ma
arrive home at night or day. when II
leased its makes a fight for It's nom
and rests only in the darkest hours l
| | one of the stations there is a mechanis
NV which a bird may fly in' put art,
once in II is captive. A Del rihss
, the cantain's office telling him or the j.
turn Of a messenger. These stations d.
a now at Portsmouth, n. H. Key WEE
Ella and Mare Island, Cal
. II &c claimed that If pigeon sel'i
{ a. Good for one country II is soou ~
{ another and that If the Umteu otat
/ mas n pigeon service spain shouiu a.
have one. But this does not Apply III :,
= ! resent unpleasantness. for Spain mas