The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-02-21
From the Baltimore Herald.

From the Baltimore Herald.
One Of the --latest progressive Ideas
adopted by the United States navy is
a horning pigeon service, similar to
that in use in several Of the European
navies, where they have been employed
for many years. A type of pigeon
house, as we'll as other necessary feat
ures, has been adopted for the service
The pigeOn-hOuse is a novel affair
and is a two-storied structure twelve
feet square. 1t is divided within by
partitions of wire gauze, so that the
birds can be separated If 1t is wished
Roasting brackets are nailed around
the sides. Openings, partly closed with
gauze, lead into the loft. The lower
part of these openings is closed by a
number of short rods, which hang
loosely from a wire crossing, each
opening about six inches above its bot
tom. A bird can pass easily in or out
as these rods swing freely either way
and give way when pressed against. a
couple of sockets are fastened to the
inner face of the frame, near the bot
tom Of each opening. through which
wire rod is dropped outside of the
swinging rods, preventing them, when
it is desired, from opening outward.
When this rod IS in place the comb-like
row of swinging rods act like valve,
but cannot escape out Of. Thus, a hom-
ing pigeon coming from a distant ship
flies at once to the trap and enters the
house. Once in he cannot get out, and
is kept in, so that his message may be
secured.
Two plates of thin iron are arranged
on the shelf. which may be termed the
floor of the trap, arranged so as to
oscillate like a child's see-saw about an
axis parallel with the wall of the loft.
These cover the entire width of the
shelf. pigeon IN entering walks
across one of them and causes it to Os-
cillate or balance over through a very
small arc. AS it does this it closes an
electric bell. which is placed in the at
tendants office, so as to notify him Of
the arrival Of bird.
For purposes of Identification a ring
Of aluminium, bearing the pigeons num-
Der, the year, and any special mark, is
placed on the leg of each bird. This is
done when the pigeon is but few days
old, by placing the three forward toes
of the pigeons foot together and Slip
ping the ring over them. The fourth
rear toe is gently held against the leg
pointing upward, and the ring is Slip
ped over it. When, the toe IS released it
returns to Its proper position and the
ring is secure, and may never come off
until the death of the pigeon.
Edcn pigeon is also stamped IN red tndel-
ibie ink with the designation OF the United
States navy upon the under side of his PIN
ions. This is stamped repeatedly upon a
number Of the feathers, so that as long as
any OF the wing remains some impression Of
the stamp can still be distinguished.
The messages that are TO be sent are all
to be written on sheet Of thin paper about
four or five inches in size. with printed
heading. They are put in aluminium cap
sules shaped very much like druggists gela-
tine capsules, and are secured by a little
clamp to the leg.
The birds already secured have had num-
erous experimental trials especially in long
distance flights. The longest distance from
which bird has reached the New York navy
yard is $50 miles from the neighborhood OF
the Capes Of the Delaware. Each bird is
preferably trained to fly In one direction
only, and until in their second season the
birds are not required TO fly over 100 miles
Not over 10 per cent of the birds have been
lost in careful short distance training In
long distance training one-half may be lost
The cotes or houses which are to be
placed on ships in shipyards. are to be
painted in stripes so as to make them
conspicuous for the birds, although, of cour-e
birds will be mainly sent from ships to the
mainland instead of being received upon
them
AT present there are six stations five of
them located at points along the coast from
Portsmouth, N H., to Key West Fla, and
one at Mare Island, Cal. These stations will