The Hartford herald. [volume] (Hartford, Ky.) 1875-1926, 1918-12-11
old ITALIAN SPORT
Peculiar Method of Sharing Mi
grating Pigeons
At Cava del Tirreni the Birds Are Way.
laid With Nets and siings-Mueh
Ingenuity Necessary TO Sc
cure Coed Bag"

1t is not often that one comes across
a 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 pc
Clliar form Of pigeon catching. II was
introduced in So, says Mr.. Herbert Vi
Wan in Italy at War and it has -four
ished ever since. At the beginning Of
every autumn great flocks of pigeons
migrate from Siberia to Africa and
| pass over Cava and the Gulf of Saler-
no. They probably have other routes,
but Cava is the only place where they
are waylaid with nets and slings. The
season is at its height from the 10Th TO
18th of October.
The pigeon catchers are mostly men
Of the lower middle class. who club to-
gether 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
is probably a thousand yards from the
net, and the nearest perhaps seventy
yards, but the distances vary. The
towers are tall and slim, windowless
and weather-bcaten. There are steps
about halfway up the inside, and
riCECty ladder leads TO the parapet at
the TOP. Each society has also neat
little clubhouse, usually near the chilf
tower.
In merry mood the members take
their places in tine fresh morning air.
AT6st of them are. dressed in vyiygt9yE
coats, top-hoots and peaked caps. Two
men ascend each tower and the rest
ere distribpted among the nets; In
each Of the clearings stands Il 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 obliquely to the ground Inside
the house is handle and a c0gwheel
for raising the weighted nets. The
lookout place is a straw hut two or
three miles away in the direction from
which the pigeons are expected. When
the watcher sights Il flock of birds he
gives Il signal on his horn, which other
watchers scattered about the woods
take up.
The birds travel at n tremendous
speed, always with leader, and In
flocks of from so to 100. Every one
takes to cover, for the birds are easily
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, ii 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
them hurting downward. Then, with
loud cries, the watchers drive them to-
ward the nets. The stOne-slinging IS
the essence of the sport, and it re-
quires strong muscles, a quick eye and
steady aim. a
But the netting is also difficult. The
man at the ropes is white and nerv-
Gus; everything now depends upon
him. If he releases the weight at the
right moment, the net comes down In
stantly and the birds are bagged. A
moment too soon, and they see the
danger and avoid 1t; moment too
late and they pass in safety. 1t is
matter of an instant. and many more
nocks 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
| ton they have made. But the moment
when the nets whirl down at Cava is
\ "a momant nf rora avoitamant