Evening star., 1935-03-31
roT LONG AGO I was showing a
visitor through our laboratory,
wherein it has been possible to

VlSltOf tnfOugn our IdOOrdtOry,
~ wherein it has been possible to
- trace the effect of sun spots on
radio transmission. He was astounded that
affairs on the sun appeared to have such in
innate relationships with radio. Suddenly he
stopped his conversation, turned to me and
said, Il would like to ask you question. Can
radio waves from broadcasting station have
any effect on the flight of homing pigeons?"
Now this question set me thinking along
lines entirely different than those on which an
astronomer is accustomed to think. am no
connoissen of homing pigeons. As scientist,
however, ! have learned not to say mo" to
any inquiry where have no scientific evi-
dence to support my answer. So after some
hesitation replied, II don't know. but why
do you ask3" Here is his story:
"Ihave been pigeon fancier for more than
twenty years and have invested thousands of
dollars in the game. have had some very
expensive birds and some records of wonderful
scores in my time. However. since the new
radio broadcasting station was put in within
mile of my lofts, simply have not been able
to get any scores out of those birds at all Now.
do you think that there is any possible way in
which the radio waves could confuse the birds
SO that they may have difficulty in finding
their way homer"
You have an extraordinarily interesting
story" remarked, land you set me thinking.
There are times when many interesting ques-
tons in science are on the borderline between
fields of investigation on which we have very
little data, and can at best but speculate.
"One of the most entiCing fields of research
is in the province of bio physics where we are
told that every movement of muscle, every
heart beat and every image received on the
retina of the eye is but the transmission of an
electrical impulse in the very sensitive nerve
fbe1s that comprise Our nervous system. OF
course, one of the most pulling things in
biological behavior is this thing called instinct.
OF all the various instincts, the homing
instinct of the carrier pigeon is perhaps the
most remarkable
Ever since the visit OF my interesting pigeon
fancier have been seeking information from
acquaintanoes who know far more than l
about the habits and records of these birds.
One man assures me that they travel entirely
by the sight of familiar objects. am firmly
convinced, however, that this can not be the
case. am told by Belgian friend who has
been familiar with the game in the old country
that the birds can be transported 400 or 500
miles, under conditions where it is impossible
for them to survey the intervening landscape.
Furthermore, Thomas Ross, Army Pigeon
Expert for the Signal Corp of the United
States Army, at Fort Monmouth, New Jersey,
has recently succeeded in developing breed
ofpigeon that will fly at night. The World War
is fraught with records of spectacular flights
under conditions of fog and other bad weather.
In one instance wounded bird, blind in one
eye. accomplished its flight apparently un-
pertwbed.
There is one characteristic in the behavior
of the bird at the outset of its homeward
journey which appears of marked significance:
When the birds are released from their con-