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Many persons wonder how it is 

 these birds go away in such a mys- 

 terious manner. I will explain to 

 you, as plainly as possible, from ex- 

 perience. A good kit, when first let 

 out, if in good condition, will wander 

 about for miles, and they are de- 

 lighted at the liberty afforded to 

 them, and get out of their boundary 

 before they are conscious of it, and 

 the more they try to find home the 

 farther they get away. Sometimes, 

 on a nice still day, they will get up 

 in the air a tremendous height, and 

 lose sight of their home. Some- 

 times a dark cloud will sweep under- 

 neath, and cause them to lose their 

 latitude. I have seen many kits 

 driven away from home by hail and 

 snow storms. Many kits are lost in 

 the mist. Several years age, I was 

 flying my kit of birds with an antago- 

 nist for a wager, the longest on the 

 wing to win ; to my misfortune, on 

 account of my birds being in splen- 



