River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1919-01-09

nervous that they could not stand still-they
like the handspring of watch, constantly
preening and ducking and on the move. In very
early times hOming pigeons were in vogue IN
Egypt Greece and among the Romans. Racing
pigeons has been a royal and national sport III
Belgium, France, Italy, Turkey Egypt and Eng
land for hundreds of years. 1t was introduced
into this country in the seventies and has enjoyed
a fair and steady growth until now there are
three national homing pigeon associations with
membership of than 1000 breeders.
Much time is spent in teaching the pigeon all OF
the tricks which count when the bird is actually
racing in competition with other pigeons. 1t is
taught to enter the loft Immediately upon it's re-
turn, for a bird that does not enter so that the
message it carries be taken from it is of very
little value as a messenger. Nothing is more
exasperating to the fancier or racer than to have
the pigeon return and cool it's anatomy and view
the scenery for a half hour before entering the
loft. 1t is nearly sufficient cause to make the
trainer Of pigeons lose his faith in pigeon nature;
besides it gives the neighbOrS chance to make
remarks about the fullgrown men playing with
brides. Once the bird is inside the loft it can
not emerge since each loft is equipped with a
trap through which the bird enter at any time
but cannot go out unless the trap is set for exit.
The ordinary barn variety of pigeon those
bred for the production of squads for market and
the racing homng pigeon should not be
fused They are as distinct and have many
noints of difference as have the big draft horse
and the high-strung nervous racing horse The
ordinary pigeon has very little homing ability,
whereas the homing pigeon is kept and bred ex-
clusively for that faculty. They also bred for
sneed and every muscle which is used in fight
is developed almost at the expense of the other
muscles of it's body. In races the actual speed
recorded is almost beyond belief. Speeds of 1850
to 1000 yards per minute, or 80 miles per hour,
have been made for short distances and it is not
extraordinary for bird to cover in excess of 500
miles in single day. The record for 1000 miles
is day IL hours "a minutes and II seconds, and
vvas made by q bird named Bullet, and the longest
successful race was 1859 miles from Denver,
Colo to Springfield Mass. (time % days, 3 hours,
% minutes) although instances are recorded
whore birds sent from New York to the Pacific
coast as breeders. have, liberation or escape
returned from California, the mountains and
nlains to their old homes in New York.
At various times in this country the army and
navy have decided to use use carrier pigeons in
their work. but with indi fferent success until the
recent war; The old reports are rather amusing
when considered in the light of presentday knowl-
edge of what can be done with the birds when
handled properly. Pigeons were used in the navy
more than 20 years ago, but failed through lack
of proper care. At the time of the Mexican Dor
der trouble pigeons again tried, but with
little success for the and through
lack of time for accmatization.
Homing pigeons were first put on business
like basis in the army in March, 1917, in the
eastern department In November of that year
the pigeon section of the land division Of the sig
nal corps was organized. and since then rapid
progress has been made in this country and