52 LIFE OF TEGETMEIER 



these contests are entered soon after thev are 

 able to fly — the quill or flight feathers of the 

 wing being stamped with the distinguishing mark 

 of the particular race, and a fixed sum contributed 

 weekly by the owners towards the prize which 

 is to be competed for. As soon as the young 

 birds can fly strongly their training commences. 

 They are taken day after day to gradually in- 

 creasing distances from home, and then liberated. 

 In this manner both their observation and power 

 of flight are exercised, until at last they know 

 their way accurately and can fly back long 

 journeys without loss of time. 



" In the days I am now writing about, railways 

 were unknown. And many and many are the 

 long walks I have taken with a couple of birds 

 in a brown-paper bag, with a few holes to give 

 them air, and a little straw in the bottom to 

 keep out the sides. On arriving at my destina- 

 tion the birds were set free, when they would 

 rise in the air, and circling in gradually increasing 

 spirals, gaze round until they descried those 

 familiar objects that constituted the landmarks 

 by which they directed their homeward flight. 



" There are few subjects connected with the 

 habits of animals about which more misconcep- 

 tion prevails than respecting this homing faculty 

 of pigeons. Authors and artists seem to have 

 conspired to misrepresent the truth. They first 

 tell us that pigeons return home by a peculiar 

 instinct, and not by sight ; whereas every pigeon- 

 fancier knows that if, on their first essays, he 

 takes his young birds long distances, so that 

 they cannot discern any familiar objects, they 

 will only return by chance. The writers on this 

 subject do not bear in mind the fact that the 

 sight of birds is infinitely more acute than that 



