184 THE BOOK OF MIGRATORY BIRDS 



arrival. Soon a bird was seen making for the cut wheat, 

 which I secured, and followed the tactics before 

 mentioned. Presently several were seen to enter the tree 

 above me, and as they flew to the wheat I despatched them 

 one by one, sticking each bird in a feeding position at 

 varying distances, some on the shocks and others on 

 terra firma. This sort of sport went on all the morning, 

 till I had bagged 20 couple, to the apparent delight of the 

 farmer and his agricultural neighbours who participated 

 in the spoil. Extreme caution is needed at the onset if a 

 good haul is desired, for even the quist can be wary. 



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 numerous, 

 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, is 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 advantage, 

 and the knowledge they had gained respecting it they 



