The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1900-03-29
PIGEONS OF pEKIv-
rrsssed by the owners "a Lure Other
Di-ds to Join Their Respec-
tive F10eks.

The Chinese have made pigeon Ay.
ing the decoying game that 10 In be-
cause they like any kind of playing |
for keeps" Even In kite flying. they
TX little hooks 20 their kite strings
and try 20 pull In each Others kites,
and count II fnir 10 keep any kite
that drops into their yards. They
will tell you that kite or strange
pigeon that comes TO your place, Y
given up. takes away your family
luck" So you must tear the kite and
keep the pigeon. Hut when you see
the town dandies sauntering out with
their fans and bird cages TO watch the
noon kite flying, criticising the ilocks
and their tactics, and arguing the
fine points Of decoying, you guess
that family luck" has very little 10
do with their game.
To decoy strange pigeons, pigeon
keepers must first train their focks
TO "fy In spirals"--that In. to rise
steadily In circles without straying
far from the home roof. Pigeons
naturally ny together In circles. Even
wild pigeons wheel about In focks be.
fore struggling of To the fields. Chi
ncse make their birds eager for cir
cling by keeping them shut up In a
wicker house built on the ground
around the dove.cote; and they cure
their birds of struggling by pelting
them with pebbles when they try to
alight anywhere except on one spot
the ridge pole OF the roof facing
their wicker house. The flock must
aiight here In u bunch. and immcdi
| ntely walk down TO the caves. This
IL done to bring any strange pigeon
among them down within sight OF the
grain. which is then scattered on the
floor of the wicker house. Pigeons
are fed only after flying, for unless
hungry they are lazy and unmanagc-
able. Their food Ia millet, sorghum
seed. ar corn. which their keepers use
to get as much work from them ns
possible for ms little feeding as pos
siblc. When there is much flying and
calling down To do. they are usually
fed with millct. which is so small
that II keeps them eating u long while
without filling them. At other times
their food is sorghum seed. Corn II
not very good for pigeons. but they
are so fond of II that pigeon keepers
usually have IL on hand tn call them
down when they are already fed.
| Chinese talk OF three regions oI
pigeon flight: the sparrow region,
Just above the housetops; the "crow re-.
gion." where the crows pass over the
city at day break: and the eagle region.
In every flock are several strong
winged birds that will rise tn the
eagle region. These are the high.
lyerS" which are usually sent up first
carrying whistles. as challenge "a
other hocks to join them. When they
have mounted tn some height, the
heavicr-wingcd birds. or "Iow-hycrs.
are sent mp to meet them. \ few
stny.at.homc birds are kept back ia
call the others down. which they dC
by flying round the roof and clnppinp
their wings. rigeon.whistles were 10
early times put on the birds To scar,
away hawks. Nowadays the hawks
do not mind them NJ all. but the,
are still useful for attracting stray
pigeons. for signaling, and for guild
ing the younger pigeons when hock'
become mixed.
| In Pcking. hocks are sent up al
sunrise. at noon. and just before sun
down. Ncighboring focks always
join. and their keepers then try each
to draw apart his flock with call
birds. so M to bring with IL any un
wary pigeons from the other flocks
II u stranger IL brought tn the roof
the keeper coaxcs II down with hi'
own birds by throwing millct into tn,
wicker cage.
No one ever demands back n pigeon
lost in this way. Two friends vii
sometimes play live pigeons" that
IL, give back each Others birds that
may he captured from the flock dur
ing the game. but the rule is to "pla,
dead pigeon" or. as the boys say. "fol
keeps. Alfred ID. sheffield, IN 81
Nicholas.