156 



half an hour past eleven o'clock of the same 

 morning ; having flown seventy-two miles in the 

 space of two hours and a half. 



Some years ago this animal was made use of 

 for a very extraordinary purpose. During the 

 drawing of the lottery, a gang of sharpers, dis- 

 tributed in various places, devised a scheme 

 for making this bird the instrument of their 

 plunder. One of these was to bring with him 

 a carrier pigeon, and wait in the Guildhall till 

 a large prize was drawn, and with all possible 

 despatch to place the fortunate number under 

 the wing of the pigeon, and let him loose. This 

 intelligence was faithfully conveyed to his asso- 

 ciate, in a much more speedy manner than by 

 the usual mode, and he was directed to insure 

 the number to whatever amount he thought pro- 

 per. It is probable, that from this circumstance 

 might arise the application of the common cant 

 term pigeon, to any one who had been over- 

 reached and cheated. 



