88 THE CARRIER PIGEON. 



When noticing the flight of birds, the rapidity 

 of these, and of our trained Carrier- Pigeons, was 

 alluded to*. The Passenger Pigeon is particularly 

 adapted for speed, having a light active body, fur- 

 nished with long wings, in which the first quill- 

 feather is equal in length to the rest, a sure indica- 

 tion of that rapid and long-continued flight which 

 they are known to possess. This faculty, in addi- 

 tion to the possibility of training that particular 

 species, the Carriers, to return without deviation or 

 delay to places from whence they had been removed, 

 was, from very early days, turned to good account. 

 We learn from an ancient historian, Diodorus 

 Siculus, that, above two thousand years ago, they 

 were used as conveyers of intelligence, and about 

 five hundred years ago, relays of Carrier Pigeons 

 formed part of a telegraphic system, adopted by the 

 Turks. Regular chains of posts were established, 

 consisting of high towers between thirty and forty 

 miles asunder, provided with Pigeons, and sentinels 

 stood there, constantly on the watch, to secure the 

 intelligence communicated by the birds as they ar- 

 rived, and to pass it on by means of others. The note 

 was written on a thin slip of paper, enclosed in a very 

 small gold box, almost as thin as the paper itself, 

 suspended to the neck of the bird; the hour of 

 arrival and departure were marked at each succes- 

 sive tower, and for greater security, a duplicate was 

 always despatched two hours after the first. The 

 despatches were, however, not always enclosed in 

 gold, but merely in paper; in which case, to prevent 



* Vol. i., p. 92. 



