The Wood Pigeon 217 



the pigeon as a messenger. 



The pigeon family is one of the most widely distributed 

 orders of birds, for, with the exception of the frigid zones 

 it is found throughout the entire globe, being most abun- 

 dant however in Southern Asia the Indian Archipelago, 

 and North America. The genera are extremely numer- 

 ous and differ widely in their habits, some being arboreal 

 and others terrestrial. But in one particular they all 

 agree ; they all possess an innate love of home — a love so 

 strong that when removed from their habitation they will 

 at once return^ though the distance to be covered may be 

 many miles. 



At a very early period of the world's history this inbred 

 homing tendency was noticed by man, and by him was 

 taken advantage of to utilize the bird for the purpose of 

 carrying messages. When this custom originated is lost 

 in obscurity ; but for many centuries pigeon-flying has 

 been a favourite custom and pastime with various nations 

 and, as in England at the present day, it has now been a 

 prolific source of gambling. 



So far as we know Noah was the first to use the pigeon 

 as a bearer of intelligence ; but the first nation of whom 

 we have any record as employing the bird as a messenger 

 is the Greeks. By them it was used with great advan- 

 tage, and the knowledge they had gained respecting it they 

 imparted to the Romans, who first utilised it as a message- 

 bearer about B.C. 120. That it satisfactorily performed 

 the office of courier may be inferred from the fact that 

 nearly three-quarters of a century later it was employed 

 by Julius Csesar as a military messenger ; and when 

 Modena, or Mutina, where pigeon-flying is still carried on 

 to a great extent, was besieged by Mark Antony, in 44 B.C., 

 we read that Decimus Brutus, whilst shut up in the city 

 frequently communicated with Consul Hertius by means 

 of this bird. For centuries pigeons continued to be 

 used as conveyers of intelligence, and about 500 years ago 

 they formed part of a telegraphic system adopted by the 

 Turks, who erected high towers at distances of thirty or 

 forty miles apart. These were provided with pigeons, 

 and sentinels stood constantly on the watch to secure the 



