New-York tribune., 1901-07-14
THE SPEED OF BIRDS
PIGEONS CAN MAKE SIXTY MILES AN
HOUR.
sPARRows CAN BEAT THIS FOR SHORT DIS
TANCEs. But NOT SWALLOWS.


us speed Is not easy 10 determine. and when the
Journey Is directly from one point TO another
the uncertainty in the mind Of onlooker as
L. where the flight viii end is q further hin
cI4nce 10 accurate observation. \ bird in the
open, again, flying across the plane Of vision
"ild laI from a liked point requires the pre-
conception Of its distance from Us before Weld
inS any data Of IS speed. The difficulty OF the
suiJtcl indeed, must be urged as the most
reasonable excuse for the diversity of rate at
which birds have been stated To fly. even hy
careful observers The subject Of flight is =
large one. which the reader do bet
ter than consult the article in Professor New
toms Dictionary 81 Birds" | DO propose
u enter into-it further than mention some in
cllentS ! have in which the relative speeds
ot some common birds have been tested by the
t- is themselves. or they ha e provided man
With d means 10 readily gauge their celerity
Tor 4 few moments.
The comEaOneSI Of such Speed is the
pigeon race. but in this the direction OF the
wind II relation 10 the birds may be considered
Iae dominant influence The questions Of dis
4"!'-N ~ IdilliiatltH Win me course ans"
ari~e. Independently Of aid cron the wind. forty
miles an hour would seem De about the fun
speed Tor good pigeon flying 4 long distance
have had some eX. .3eTi6Ece in this matter. haN-
-u- "timsd FOR a good many races OF the south
ttA touIileS tlnp years ago am speaking. "a
course of flight at moderate eevation. such
a. pigeons generally affect. With the data avail
a:ne, none would dream of &as irS5 that q pigeon
could fly at say seventy miles an hour against
q moderate wind.
With regard 10 Wild birds generally. not haV-
iH= such sure data Tor guidance. the Imaeina-
lion has been allowed fuller Play. with the natu-
r4l consequences.
The swift lswaIlow) affords a common ilustra-
ton. The writer Of arIce in The DaII!
Eess'' thought that the swift could distance
any falcon and attain speed Of lIu miles an
hour. ! saw an adult male hobby falcon IN
;hs fish shot on a swift which it had over
taken in fair flight. friend Of Major Hawkins
Fisher had seen similar incident.
one daE. travelling ~ express train through
q Nal-et- n9totd lh-l m Us 49, a5 ~ a.
wind 10 br blowing Sent-y in tn dfecl'n 81
our T4Nel. and also observed mat tn a"iitS
passing along The EaiieE- even with the VINO
did aot move SO tasl a. tEe train mon MjiS 'iol
exceeding lhe rate of some f0rty-iiVe miles an
hour TEe birds seemed 70 he flying II their
Arotaer ii,d Esllose speed seems to he over
estimated Is The sparrow hawk ! have seen II
camua.ed To q cannon laI ID c--rity; but the
suggestion is absurd bird which arrives on
- +i,ers ezTar-l feIding so far as The
chances Of delivering an attack are concern a.
and this may be parJiE the reason Why 80 !i-.-iil
II the smaller birds rise on me wing "Le.i
:larlised Is The sight Of hawk. II i as in"ush
they considered that. given fair start, thy
might disregard Tie eEen.y-
The aol4lu2 pigeon We know can 'r f@l-ea II
i attain, unctr ialtlt easy t'-''.'-'--+,' " -
90: sixty miles an hour g co,4'i-@t ta'iE ny! =.
The sIarroU. surely. could never 90 5iH lliiIlE
il-- that Bat the fact l. maj ~ : SI". n ~ .
ren,e the sparrow is wei able 10 keep Up win 2
good homer. and even when hSinS htallA ''!ii
below il (and therefore IN a more di-tut d. -
,-aeion of the air) 70 gain ercuch additional
momentum to deliver attack. Ne kno" ihdt
fha larger and heavier The bird fSiNeH q I4!i
limo, -nr4.C, tn. greater it's speed. but there IS
10 Getting away from this fact - the Si,Iii",
.,.rtal-in9r INC pigeon. often saw this a.
S-'+d ibe rigaSns being excellent homers Of
l,-lfgTee and reputation and lhe SPalI"" - a.
.jl male that lived near them ht 81
r.au the same performance enAcltd 'iS-'-
In each case IL Was clear that lh- p'seoI W. ,
psr relish the attack. but did rs UTMOST l" 81
ON of fhe way r..
In February last l witnessed an "efuift'iyI =
- I'm greater aEdacitY in sparrow -
..,-frr me sparrow regards the JacKda" VIII
i-,ne- ae much fear il views a ha"A, u
f.Gt With much m,rc than II sees me - kestiTi
Tl.i- Is no doubt due. not 10 adult sparrow
tra attacked but to their young beiilS -
frln removed to supply the laroer oi IN H.1il55
i.cldaws The daW. ready enough 10 a,tit'
IN adult small bird upon occasion; le>'i - -
,sfls 10 seize a Young one u it cila'i't - 49,
- tte occ,eioa in question / saw sparrow
.a,.,-ing something large over mouse !
5,,--red the burden in the hollow q lIle too
- Fes.eude d there. Along came i JaGnddH %
.arfry bout for food, hey DO az haS d
,,,,l7-.,T.,, and down h went Sunce;a-% o.
IN, roof returning at once WIN 4 M II -.
Ir.aa which he ate the chimney! ~ -, -.
- E,fng and at once the sparro" came aItF
Ifo, A,vdv went the daW. ana cioSt '-''- =,
rlint-cd me sparrow. making frequent PlDsn
-, mir, Strange. still the 1ackdaW " a. ~ -,
.aaLire =, avoid tn attack, "Lt Nal.-t'- -
lfrlr made three EoDd cree II" - .,,r,Z,,
-. - u.s. sVervine ike tin piate iHio"
r-.,, m hand and close above me "a -
,,als The sparrow nov gave II up '-iiI u,
-..o7rd into q roadside tree, Nhtc ~" -
ra,- ,,anf away ! moved on ana IaS -
-,.1r,a,- which was then chlrplhS ]" t"H' -,
-1 co,,.frI,o1,e manner which seei,af I" " ~ ~
nearest approach 70 slll@ll a. ,,l Il i;
-.+-t-= Possibly h was feeling lf'-d - 80
ElrrOTy.
TutT NEW AFRICAN BEAST.