108 THE IMPORTANCE OF BIRD LIFE 



only fly by daylight, the French attempted, with 

 some success, to breed night fliers. The squabs, 

 from the moment of hatching, were kept in dark- 

 ened lofts and fed by the light of red lamps. 

 When the birds became old enough to fly they 

 were permitted to leave their quarters at night 

 and underwent a systematic training of homing 

 to a red light. 



This system worked with fair results, but the 

 homing of the birds was an uncertain quantity. 

 Any red light would attract them, and, owing to 

 eye weakness and disease, they were far shorter 

 lived than daylight birds. Night flying was not 

 attempted in the American army during the war, 

 though preparations were being made for it when 

 the armistice came. Since that time, however, 

 successful experiments have been made in that 

 direction by the section of the United States pi- 

 geon service stationed at Panama. Distances of 

 forty miles have been attained by night-flying 

 homers. 



Certainly not the least important part pigeons 

 took during the war was their help to the aviation 

 corps. They became a recognized unit of equip- 

 ment for aeroplanes in many branches of that 

 service. In order to release a bird the machine 

 was slowed down and the bird was tossed back- 

 ward toward the tail of the craft to prevent its 

 fouling the propeller. Numerous messages were 

 sent in this fashion, and there were many instances 



