Couriers of the Air. 75 



intervals. The grains of wheat and vessels of 

 water are confided to a corporal, who has the care 

 of the pigeons. When the detachment has to 

 remain absent more than a day, they take with 

 them four pigeons, with wheat and water in a 

 leathern case. If they have to return in a day, 

 they carry but three pigeons, with the food and 

 drink necessary. The frequent arrival of these 

 birds from all quarters presents a curious appear- 

 ance. When they arrive they perch at the 

 window of the dovecot, where their mates and 

 young await them. To enter they must pass 

 through a sort of cage-trap, which does not 

 permit them to return, and at the same time 

 separates them from the other pigeons. The 

 weight of the newcomer sets an electric bell 

 ringing ; and this signal continues all the time 

 the bird remains in the trap ; thus giving notice 

 to the sergeant of the guard, who takes the 

 despatch and forwards it to headquarters. 



The liability of so defenceless a bird as the 

 pigeon to attack has led to experiments being 

 undertaken from time to time with young ravens., 

 which make fairly quick and reliable messengers 

 up to a distance of about fifty miles. As the 

 raven is very teachable (it can be made to 

 "retrieve" most creditably), and as it manifests 

 a strong attachment to its birth-place, there 

 seems no reason why its training should not be 

 further extended in the new direction, for which 



