The times., 1901-05-26

is Kept ana a yearly appropriation Is I-'AuS
for their support. There are lofts at the
navy yards at Portsmouth, n. H; New
York. Mare Island, at tho training station
at Newport. and the naval station at
Key west Each station has about one
hundred birds which are vigorously train
ed for their work and go through their
drills as carefully as the jackies them
selves.
The Belgian strain is regarded in navy
circles as the most reliable. although
home stock is bred which gives good ser
vice Many American-bred birds ind
their way into the lofts of the Navy De-
partment and become formidable rivals of
the Belgian breed. Each bird has a ring
around its leg upon which is engraved its
number. the year. the station or navy
yard to which il belongs. and the letters,
u S. N" After these letters comes an
anchor which completes the inscription
1t is obvious that any ring which a pig
con could wear without discomfort must
be very small, and yet large enough to
contain the inscription which is neees-
sary. II is therefore necessary TO adopt
some sort Of a shorthand system and this
the Navy Department has recognized.
This abbreviation is found in the number
on the ring and is ingenious, to say the
least.
Each naval station and navy yard has
its own number, and the second figure in
the number engraved on the ring CORE
spends to the number of the station, the
first figure of the number tells the year
and the last two figures give the number
of the bird itself. For example, suppose
bird is freed from a ship at sea, which
belonged to the loft at New York, whose
number is say, No. / The birds own
number would be possibly 50" and the
pigeon itself liberated any time during
the present year, that is, 1901. Now the
number on the ring would therefore be
1l35 The last figure Of 1901 would be-
come the first figure of the number, the
number of the New York navy yard
would be the next figure, that is, e. and
the number of the bird, which is IS,
would make uP the last two figures Of
the number, 'Il55." Anyone finding the
bird and reading the number would know
just where the bird belonged, in what
service it was engaged, and when it was
freed. provided. Of course. the finder was
familiar with the naval code.
1t is in the training Of these homing
pigeons where the greatest care is taken
Old birds are never used. Young
birds only are employed. Unlike
pigeon has a wonderful bump of locality
and keen instinct for home AS a rule
these pigeons VIII seek their own home
loft as soon as they are liberated. 1t is
marvellous how accurately they will locate
the direction Of their home loft. even
when hundreds of miles at sea, with moth
ing familiar to them 10 give them a hint
OF where they are OF which way home
lies.
AS soon as the young birds are strong
enough a basket OF four or five birds are
taken out to sea and let loose The birds
circle around for a moment and then by
their marvellous instinct Will strike out
in bee line for home just as fast as
they can fly. Attached 10 the ring on the
leg of the pigeon is a little note telling
the latitude or place where they were lib
Grated. the hour and the day. When they
arrived at their home loft. these notes are
read and. the distance being known, the
speed Of fight Of each bird can be accu-
rately calculated Some Of these carrier
pigeons can find their own loft from a
distance Of $40 miles, but 200 miles is the
average distance limit to which they are
taken. This distance Is quite enough to
test the birds reliability and does not, of
course, demand as much endurance or
tance would do.
Some birds do not go back to their loft
and are either lost. or killed by some
sportsman, or if they do return, it will
be after q longer time has been consumed
than is regarded as necessary TO cover
the distance, allowing, Of course, for ac-
cidents or necessary delays. Slow birds
are tried over again a number Of times
until they become satisfactorily trained
or are abandoned as useless to the ser
vice The condemned pigeons are either
sold or killed. It IS in this way that q
loft is freed from useless birds and the
line Is drawn between the good and the
bad.
A stiu further test is made. When &
ship goes TO sea. it takes aboard somC
homers from several lofts and the pig
cons are freed Each well-trained bird
viii find its own loft and get there in due
time Sometimes, however, the social in
stinct, which is well developed in pigeon,
of all kinds. VIII tempt the carriers K
flock together and one or more viii fol
low other birds to their loft where they
are strangers When this is discovered
the truant birds are sent back to thei
own loft and black mark is scoreC
against them. A fIrst-class bird, wei
p trained. viii make straight for home an'
satisfy his social instincts with the in
mates Of its own loft. This test permit
a second and more accurate wedding out
until finally a naval station is equippe'
with loft or splendid and reliable pig
eouc Tlcn these birds are bred and tn,
loft Is repIenished with a fine stock.
The Development Of the war homing-pig
con service throughout Europe has beer
more rapid than elsewhere, and arm
posts support large numbers of them
Strict laws are made TO protect those Il
private lofts. AS a great military CAM
Europe looks upon the carrier pigeon a
q menace 10 the country If not held un
der strict military control In Germany
fer instance, not a single pigeon raise
b. private breeders can be taken on
OF the country or sold without permission
from the military authorities. In tn
event OF a war the German authorities re
serve tine right TO claim and take pos
session Of every carrier pigeon IN tn
land. In addition 70 this every fortTes
and camp on German soil has its pigeol
service. and over $1,000 is appropriate
annually for the support OF this service
There are upward Of 1000 pigeons be
longing 10 the German War Department
and ever bird is trained and tested.
The discovery Of the wireless telegra
ply, however. Is destined to supplant tn
usefulness Of the hOming pigeon, and f.
development is watched with no smal
interest by the Navy Department
There are several weak points in tn
pigeon service" said Lieutenant Chaplin
Of the Bureau Of Equipment, which can
not be overcome as long as the Navy De