The Madison journal. (Tallulah, Madison Parish, La.) 1888-current, 1919-01-11

. - A. ooossitv of writing the messaSe'
However the pigeon might nave SUM
say about the matter. e +bo yvorl, of
ons y, .H ,,,,oors into the army service was 10
TN - +bo minds of the officers ana Heh 'i''
fot tbot tbe nigeons are reliable. mat Hles "i'
roIiobIe is proved by thct experience
whore the birds are retained in 1orWaiu Po ti
while any other method, whether telePnone'
a,,b Induction buzzers wireless, wigwag OF run
nor is available, and only when eNer!'i''is 80 |
fails and only the birds remain theh I'M |
horroce oas and every other of the haDoNc"i
;,yontions of war more than 81 per cent OIL llie
messages intrusted to our pigeons are s"lei! on
cnaadiIv delivered by them TO heauqu"
These messengers carried 10 the lloh' "
especially constructed wicker baskets WHICH I'',.
no carried handily by the soldier intrusted Win
- oaro pack of the lines the pigeons are kept
IN oitber of two kinds of lofts or home, stauoii-
,. or movable but the essential feature OF eacI'
is the same Every effort is made TO mike e"'l
bird comfortable, happy and attached TO us hoiiie
This is done most effectively by the lheuIou "
fooding rs the approach to the birds affection
IL through its stomach, the same as WIFI seiu
homo. Each loft is equipped with trap tlroush
,rbicb the birds are taught TO enter ana leave
ritbout feor Each time the bird enters the trap
an alarm is automatically rung notl1vlhg the
attendant of the return of the bird, that the mes
sore may be Immediately obtained ana tor"arueu
TO headquarters. -.
before the late war if you had told pigeon
foncier that YOU could move his pigeon loIt as lar
os ~ miles and that the pigeons would return u
su,iftlv and accurately he would probably nave
LAUGHED at you and said something ABOUT !ou'
heinc a novice in the pigeon racing ana Dreeuii4
came The movable loft is one or the advances
in nreOn lore that the war mas Drought out
This is very important development as II
biphIy desirable that the lofts always De near
military headquarters and available Tor lhs'"n
removal with headquarters as conuluohs may re
nriro These movable lofts are very well con
structed and are interesting homes 1or these ltih
oront messengers. They are outftted with nestin
boxes observation traps storage space ior lee'
rrotor and accommodations for one or two a
tendants who constantly on DUTY. III lac
they remind one of the circus wagons that trav'
with the smaller crcuses about the country.
Anotber innovation developed was the "Owl e.
press" There were pigeons at the front Una
developed the faculty for seeing at nigl
and these were called vertable human night owl
In fact. they came home much more steadily al
accurately than some of their civilian brethre
who were wont to be habitual riders of the 10Y
express"
Tho snort of racing and breeding pigeons is Oh
m receive an impetus civilian sport now tn
rbe war is ended. and the progress made und
war conditions should not be allowed to laps
thousands of soldiers will have become famili
with the birds and will have a warm regard
them There will be many who will share {
feeling of the officer who mentioned in {
first part of this article as having been saved
the pigeons in the battle of BethuncOurt a
Dead Mans hill.