THE PASSENGER PIGEON IN PENNSYLVANIA 249 



carrier so far as service performed is concerned, but, 

 unfortunately, that name was long ago pre-empted by 

 an entirely different bird, closely related to the Dra- 

 goon and Horseman, and known as the English Carrier. 

 This pigeon, while perhaps originally used for flying, 

 now is useless for that purpose, and is kept for exhibi- 

 tion only. It is a large bird, with extremely long neck 

 and legs, and carries a huge mass of flesh about the eyes 

 and on the beak. This misuse of names has caused 

 much of the credit due the true homer to be given a 

 pigeon which would not home from a distance of a 

 mile. 



Many misunderstandings have arisen as to the 

 homing abilities of the war-pigeon. Many persons ap- 

 pear to believe that it is merely necessary to whisper a 

 few directions in the bird's ear, toss it into the air, and 

 watch it strike out for the destination indicated. Other 

 fancies, still wider of the truth, are numerous. There 

 is nothing supernatural about the homer. It simply 

 has a strongly developed love of home, a wonderful 

 sense of direction, and the strength and courage to re- 

 turn to its loft when released at a distance. 



Sense of direction is strongly developed in most 

 birds. We have only to consider the marvelous migra- 

 tion flights of many species to realize that this is true. 

 In domestic pigeons this sense, doubtless native to the 

 wild rock-dove, from which they are descended, has 

 degenerated through countless generations of life i.i 

 captivity. Only in the homer has it been retained and 



