294 COLUMBINE. 



generally bred in lofts at the top of the house, from whence, 

 when able, the young birds accompany their parents in 

 their daily excursions around, and thus learn to distinguish 

 their own roof from any other. The further directions are 

 thus given in a work on Fancy Pigeons : 



" In order to train a Pigeon for this purpose, take a 

 strong, fully-fledged, young Carrier, and convey it in a 

 basket or bag, about half a mile from home, and there turn 

 it loose ; having repeated this two or three times, then take 

 it two, four, eight, ten, or twelve miles, and so on, till they 

 will return from the most remote parts of the kingdom ; 

 for if they are not practised when young, the best of them 

 will fly but insecurely, and stand a great chance of being 

 lost. Be careful that the Pigeon intended to be flown is 

 kept in the dark, and without food, for about eight hours 

 before it is let loose, when it will immediately rise, arid 

 flying round, as is their custom, will continue on the wing 

 till it has reached its home." 



The spiral flight, when first let loose, is a flight of obser- 

 vation, from which, as soon as the bird has reached suffi- 

 cient elevation, and gained the sight of a known object, he 

 goes off in a direct line to his point. Should fog or haze 

 occur the bird would probably be lost. 



Examples of power and speed are thus recorded : In 

 July 1808, a wager was decided by setting off three 

 Pigeons, belonging to a young man named Wilson, in the 

 Borough, who undertook that they would fly thirty-five 

 miles in one hour. They were accordingly sent off the 

 same evening at five o'clock, five miles beyond Tunbridge 

 Wells, and arrived at the residence of their owner in the 

 short space of fifty-three minutes, being seven minutes 

 within the time allowed. A gentleman having a wager 

 depending on the event, sent a Pigeon by the stage coach 



