The Ward County independent. [volume] (Minot, Ward County, N.D.) 1902-1965, 1918-12-19
OLD ITALIAN SPORT
Peculiar Method Of Sharing Mi.
grating Pigeons
A. Cava del Tirreni the Birds Are Way.
laid With Nets and siinos--Mueh
Ingenuity Necessary to Sc.
cure Good BAG"

IT is not often that one comes across
little place that has an ingenious
and exciting sport all Its own. AT Cava
del Tirreni In Italy, however, there
has for thousand years existed a pc
culiar form Of pigeon catching. 1t was
introduced In S92.' says Mr.. Herbert VI
Wan In Italy at War and 1t has -four
ished ever since. At the beginning 1T
every autumn great flOcks Of pigeo'ls
migrate from Siberia to Africa and
pass over Cava and the Gulf Of Saler-
10. They probably have other routes,
but Cava is the only place where they
are waylaid with nets and sings. The
'ssason Is ut its height from the 18th to
Roth Of October.
The pigeon catchers are mostly men
of the lower middle class, who club to-
Sether to form six societies, or
games" A game usually consists of
three or four towers and clearing
where the nets are set up. One tower
ss probably thousand yards from the
net, and the nearest perhaps seventy
yards, but the distances vary. The
towers are tall and slim, windowless
and weather-beaten. There are steps
about halfway up the inside, and
xickety ladder leads to the parapet at
the top. Each society has also neat
httle clubhouse, usually near the chief
tower.
In a merry mood the members take
their places in the fresh morning air
Most Of them are dressed in velveteen
coats, top-boots and peaked caps. Two
Hen ascend each tower and the rest
Rre distributed among the nets. In
zach Of the clearlngs stands a small
house from the center of which rises
a tall black mast. TO that two huge
nets are fastened, stretching right and
left to clumps of trees and spreading
out obliquey to the ground. Inside
The house is handle and cogwheel
Tor raising the weighted nets. The
lookout place is straWOhut two or
three miles away in the direction from
which the pigeons are expected When
the watcher sights flock Of birds he
gives q signal on his horn, which other
watchers scattered about the woods
take up.
The birds travel at tremendous
speed, always with leader, and in
docks Of from so to 100. Every one
frightened. The men on the towers
are provided with long sings and
whitewashed stones about the size Of
small hens eggs. These they discharge
with great force. The pigeons, it is
said, mistake the stones for hawks and
make frantic efforts to avoid them,
SO the singers must fling the stones
where they do not wish the birds to
go; yet when they are flying high, a
stone flung beneath them will bring
chem hurting downward. Then, with
loud cries, the watchers drive them to-
ward the nets. The stone-slinging is
she essence of the sport, and 1t re-
Qulres strong muscles, quick eye and
a steady aim.
But the netting Is also difficult. The
man at the ropes Is white and nerv.
Gus; everything now depends upon
aim. IF he releases the weight at the
right moment, the net comes down in
stantly and the birds are bagged. A
nomant too soon, and they see the
danger and avoid it; moment too
Gate and they pass in safety. 1t Is n
matter of an instant, and many more
iAocks escape than are taken.
The birds are gray and somewhat
smaller than the domestic pigeon.
They cannot be trained or tanned. The
sport Is far from being profitable, for
even when they have good luck the
pigeon catchers never take enough
birds to pay for the elaborate prepare
zion they have made. But the moment
when the nets whirl down at Cava Is
\ moment Of rare excitement.