The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1905-10-06

of 1877 and lis miles. respectively The
conditions were ideal, the weather was
beautifully clear and fresh wind was
blowing to help the birds on their way;
and yet under such favorable circum-
stances few of the birds attained a
speed of a mile a minute. which in
these days Of swift locomotion is be-
ginning to be considered comparatively
slow.
Better times were made not long ago
when 1000 pigeons were tossed at Tenn
plecombe to race to London. Assisted
by a southwest wind they Travelled so
rapidly that many of them had reached
their cotes some time before their own
ers even thought of looking for them.
One bird actually covered 10S miles in
"a minutes, maintaining throughout the
long journey a speed of nearly sixty
nine miles an hour another did equally
well by travelling to Chelsea at the
average rate of 201S yards minute;
while one bird out OF every ten ex-
ceeded sixty miles an hour.
very remarkable journey, which IL
Illustrates the endurance and courage of
a pigeon, was made some time ago by
bird called Silver Queen, belonging
to a member of the Homing Club, of
South Pittsburg. On August 7, 1900
this bird, with several others, was lib
Grated from the roof of the Brown
Palace Hotel, Denver, in the presence
of large gathering Of people interest
ed. The pigeons. when released, made
several circles in the air; then all of
them flew eastward. They were first
h.a 81 sc Ia.a
ter, dated August II, reached the Pitts
burg Club from Henry Homeyer, of
Zickrlck county, South Dakota, saying
that a carrier pigeon arrived at his
place that afternoon. just after the last
of several terrific hailstorms had clear
ed away. Mr.. Homeyer fed and wa
tered the bird, which, afterward identi-
fled as Silver Queen, resumed its flight
as though quite refreshed.
Three weeks more passed, and as no
further news of any one of the FIVE
birds was received they were given up
as lost. But on September Mr.. AL
bert Greb. Of Pittsburg, the owner Of
Silver Queen, while in his loft early
in the morning was astonished by see
ing his bird perch upon the window
sill. She had thus accomplished fight
of 100 miles within period of thirty
days, during which she passed through
many most severe storms of hail, rain
and wind in a magnificently successful
effort to reach her home and mate.
Belgium was for some time the scene
of daily race between a pigeon and
train which travels between Liege
and Waremme, of which the Mouse,
leading Belgium newspaper. gives the
following account: THE train starts at
three minutes to 10 a. m, and a crowd
gathers daily to see the pigeon go with
IT, The bird wheels around the sta
ton while the passengers are taking
their seats. and as soon as the whistle
is blown and the journey begins II takes
mp position a little behind the en-
CINE. and there 1t flies surrounded by
the moist. though warm, steam, which
1t evidently enjoys.
1T retains this position even while
the train is passing through tunnels,
and apparently is not incommoded in
the least by the warm vapor When
the train reaches its destination the
bird flies swiftly along the railroad
track back to Liege. where It arrives
about half-past II o'clock This pig
con was born at the railway station
In Liege. and consequently Is familiar
with trains. smoke and steam"