128 BEHAVIOR OF PIGEONS. 



"All these birds, then, having probably as I contend the same instinct, have used it for the 

 same purpose, and to the same end. But now come upon the scene other forces, namely, memory, 

 intelligence, and observation. These enable a bird to remember the localities in which it has been 

 flown before, to recognize landmarks it has noticed previously, and which are now pointed out to it 

 by an intelligent observation of the country beneath it. Thus it is seen that though all may start 

 fair, as it were, at first, still those endowed with the more retentive memory, the greatest intelligence, 

 and the most accurate power of observation will, caeteris paribus, come home first. The instinct, 

 then being naturally present to a certain given extent forms a basis upon which man can work ; 

 and the materials to be used ha the work are the memory, intelligence, and power of observation. 

 These must be educated, improved, perfected by man's labour and toil, in order to obtain a first- 

 class bird. What one has to do, then, in training, is to give the birds a good knowledge of locality 

 by repeated and ever-increasing trials, which will try the endurance of the bird as well as bring its 

 gifts to perfection, and in doing so the greatest care is needed 



"Having selected the birds one wishes to train, they must be taken out in a box or basket to be 

 thrown the first time. The distance should not be more than 500 or 600 yards, and the time morning, 

 as early as you like. The birds should be hungry, not voracious, but just nicely hungry, so that 

 when home they may come into the loft to feed at once. A nice, clear, tolerably still day should be 

 selected for each throw when commencing to train, if possible, in order to give the young birds every 

 advantage. They may then be taken the next day, or as soon as convenient, but the sooner the better, 

 to the same distance, in another direction, and so on until they have been sent in four, or at least 

 three, directions around their home. This done, the distance may be doubled, and again sent to 

 the four points of the compass. They will next be taken a mile or a mile and half in each direction, 

 and by this time will have a pretty general acquaintance with the country immediately adjacent to 

 their home in all directions 



"The Belgian method of training is pretty much the same as described above, except that the 

 stages are, after fifty miles, exceedingly severe, the birds being sent fifty, a hundred, and even more 

 miles at a single stage, but the losses among these birds are likewise proportionately heavy in bad 

 weather. Some of the best lofts in Belgium have been fearfully depopulated at a single stage." 



ILLUSTRATIVE MATERIAL. 

 MEMORY. 



Under the title of "Memory," the editor finds an account of seven pairs of 

 birds that had lived at Woods Hole, Massachusetts, and at the author's former 

 home in Chicago. On returning from Woods Hole in the autumn of 1901, these 

 birds were taken to a new Chicago home, at a distance of several blocks from 

 their former home. In the following spring they were allowed to nest, and they 

 were given their freedom while incubating eggs. The account describes their 

 behavior in these novel surroundings. These records constitute in large part 

 the basis for the preceding discussion of the homing instinct. 



By way of further introduction, the editor may note that memory for home 

 was shown by pairs which were carried back and forth between Chicago and 

 Woods Hole. The oldest pair of common pigeons knew their cots, both at Woods 

 Hole and in Chicago, and never got lost or confused. They seemed quite at home 

 when let out in either place, although, for a few minutes, they showed that they 

 had not forgotten the place from which they were last moved. Other pairs, let 

 out for the first time, got lost, confused, and were often unable to find their nest 

 within a small yard. 



(1) A pair of homers was taken from my former home in Chicago to Woods Hole, in 

 June 1900, and left there until October 1901. They were returned to my new home in 

 Chicago, and kept in a pen in the back yard, where they nested. They had young about 

 10 days old when I removed them to a cot newly prepared in the barn. After keeping 

 them and their young shut up in the cot for two days, I opened the cot and let them out 

 on the morning of the third day. I saw both birds come out soon; within one-half of a 



