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JOTJHNAL OP HOETICULTUEK AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



[ June 8, 1871. 



dicl much to encourage industrial pursuits in the county ot 

 Kiseommon, and her dairy, poultry-yard, and other matters of 

 feminine care were a model to the county, and secured prizes 

 at several shows in different parts of the country. She was a 

 kind lady to her humbler neighbours, and exerted herself much 

 to promote whatever would tend to improve their condition. 



COURIEK PIGEONS. 



The following are extracts from an interesting paper read by Mr. R- 

 "W. Aldrid^^e, before the West Kent Natural History Society : — It is to 

 the modern. Belgians that we must award the honour of developing 

 and applying to practical purposes that marvellous instinct by which 

 the Pigeon finds his home from almost incredible distances. This 

 instinct they have aptly termed " prieutation," the nearest reading of 

 which is the power of finding the cardinal points. About the year 

 1820 the discovery was first made that by coupling Pigeons possessing 

 distinct qualities, as high flying, strength of wing, and keenness of vision, 

 a breed of birds might be produced combining all these qualities in one 

 individual. These birds have been produced, and a^-e now hnown in 

 England as Antwerps. It must not be supposed that the present per- 

 fection to which Pigeons have attained was arrived at without the 

 greatest attention and perseverance on the part of the Belgian ama- 

 teurs ; indeed, their capabilities were but gradually brought out. In 

 the year above mentioned, a circumstance occurred which gave a great 

 im^jetus to the already rising interest. It was the return of a Pigeon 

 from Paris to its home at Verviers, a distance of over 150 miles — 

 a feat hitherto without precedent, and considered so wonderful that 

 the bird, enclosed in a basket, was carried in triumph through the 

 town, preceded by two men playing on violins, accompanied by two 

 small pieces of ordnance, which were discharged at the entrance of 

 the principal streets, to announce the arrival of the hero. 



Up to this period a few unimportant sodctcs colorahopliiles had 

 existed ; but now their growth was so rapid, that at the present time 

 there is scarcely a Belgian village of any cou.sideration without its 

 society. L'Epcrvicr newspaper, published at Brussels, is the organ of 

 three hundred such societies, and confines itself to chronicling their 

 movements, such as reporting races, announcing forthcoming meetings, 

 advertising rewards for strayed Pigeons, public sales, and nouvelles 

 colomhophilcs in general. There also exist two societies, one offering 

 rewards for the destruction of birds of prey, the other for prosecuting 

 persons detected in poaching or injuring Pigeons ; and within the last 

 few weeks a petition signed by upwards of four thousand amateurs has 

 been presented to the Chamber of Representatives, urging still more 

 stringent laws. 



The great race of the country takes place annually in July. It is 

 organised in Brussels. In 1863 the number of birds engaged was 

 fifteen hundred. Both the King and the Comte de Flaudre give 

 handsome presents, and the city of Brussels sabscribes 900f. These 

 facts show that the interest taken in this national hobby is even more 

 universal than that created by our English Derby. Before the intro- 

 duction of railways in Belgium, tbe mode by which the societies' 

 Pigeons were trained was certainly economical, primitive, and pic- 

 turesque. A cliarette (country cart) was engaged ; it was hooped over 

 and covered in with canvas ; perches and food we' e provided for the 

 use of the birds. The driver was directed to the local authorities of 

 some distant town, who witnessed the flying and attested the fact. 

 Another system, but even more piimitive, was by the " hotte," which 

 was a wicker basket made to fit tbe shoulders and back of a convoycur: 

 the " hotte " was divided into five flats, or floors, each capable of hold- 

 ing ten Pigeons. With tbis load of fifty, the poor unfortunate wretch, 

 with his still more unfortunate passengers, journeyed frequently ten or 

 twelve days before they reached their destination ; the birds to obtain 

 their liberty, and he his coveted certificate of tbe fulfilment of his en- 

 gagement. Fortunately, facilities have grown with the necessity. The 

 " charette " and "hotte" are things of the past. It is now no un- 

 common sight on special days to see from three to four hnndred 

 baskets of Pigeons arrive at the same railway station, to be flown from 

 that particular neighbourhood under the superintendence of a com- 

 missionnaire appointed by a confederation of socictcs colomhophilcs. 



The training of young birds ia now conducted in Belgium in a much 

 more systematic manner than it is in England. Here every one trains 

 according to his notions, while in Belgium it is managed principally by 

 the societies. Two methods appear to be in practice. In the first the 

 young bird is not required to take part in any contest before the month 

 of Jane or July ; but before the close of the flying season will be ex- 

 pected to have done a journey of at least 150 miles. Some amateurs 

 object to this training as being too severe, and prefer the second method, 

 as follows : — During the first year the young bird is only subjected to 

 inconsiderable distances ; the second year it is allowed to mature itself 

 in idleness ; but the third year, as it is then considered to have attained 

 full development of all its faculties, it is retained until its performance 

 is satisfactory, both in speed and distance. 



As examples of what Pigeons are capable of doing, I quote from an 

 unquestionable living authority, M. F. Chapuis, M.D., and Doctor of 

 Natural Science, of Verviers. In his published list of twenty-one 

 races, or flies, he mentions one from St. Sebastian, in Spain, to 

 Liege, in Belgium, a distance of 550 miles, in sixteen hours. A 

 Pigeon belonging to M. Grooters, of Brussels, has recently taken first 

 prize in a race from Narbonne to Brussels, 510 miles. M, Ida 



Vivier, of Courtrai, in Belgium, possessed a bird that had flown from 

 Belfast, Ireland, to Coprtrai. Upon reference to the map this flight 

 appears to he even more marvellous than the others, as the bird must 

 have crossed St. George's Channel, England, and the Irish Channel. 

 Instances of long journeys performed by untrained birds are by no 

 means uncommon. The last-named gentleman recently possessed a 

 bird that had flown from Chateauroux, in France, to Courtrai, 

 27(i miles, without any training whatever, and this bird was an im- 

 ported Black Dragoon. It is very questionable if it would have done 

 the distance in England at all ; for it must be taken into consideration 

 that the country passed over was remarkably favourable, there being 

 few elevations, and a south wind usually prevailing, which would 

 greatly facilitate the passage of the bird. 



But although the Belgian voyageurs certainly excel any English 

 breed in distance, ours have the advantage in speed ; for, upon examin- 

 ing the results of several racds, I find the greatest velocity attained 

 does not exceed five-eighths of a mile (one kilomt-tre) per minute. A 

 feature worthy of consideration, as a reason why the Belgian Pigeons 

 excel in flying such distances in France and in their own country, is 

 that they are at a certain season of the year often driven by their 

 owners to seek their own living, and as both Belgium and France are 

 grain-growing countries, the birds have at such season no difficulty in 

 satisfying their wants from the growing crops while in course of making 

 any very long journey — an advantage not possessed by Pigeons in 

 England. It is my impression that we possess in our sheer Dragoons 

 and coarse Beards, or crosses from them, birds that under the same 

 circumstances of careful breeding, feeding, and training, combined with 

 flatness of country and clearness of atmosphere, would do all of which 

 the celebrated Antwerp is capable. So careful are some breeders of 

 birds destined for long distances that they only permit one young one 

 to be raised by the parents, and will not train a bird hatched later 

 than the middle of February, and none later than the middle of March. 



A great diversity of opinion exists with regard to the colour of th& 

 eye, " pearl eyes " being much preferred ; but one of the most cele- 

 brated birds now in Belgium has black, or bull eyes, a colour always 

 repudiated here. I find that this celebrated bird has beaten all its 

 competitors in travelling in foggy or vei-y heavy weather, and has 

 reacheil its home late of an evening, when the others have lodged for 

 the night, and not returned until the following morning, as is custo- 

 mary in long flights, there being only one instance on record of a 

 Pigeon having flown 500 miles in one day. I think this apparent 

 eccentricity iu the colour of the eye in so good a bird may be satis- 

 factorily explained in this way. The Woodcock, Snipe, and all night- 

 flying birds possess black eyes. The wild Duck has a piercing black 

 eye, and not only flies at night, but sees well under water. The 

 Swallow, so active at the close of the day, has similar-coloured organs 

 of vision. On the other hand, the Capuiet, a Pigeon scarcely known 

 in England, has an eye infinitely whiter than pearl. It is the highest- 

 flying and the longest on the wing of all the Pigeon tribe, and mostly 

 chooses mid-day for its flights. I have just had presented to me by 

 the President of the Socwte peristeropldle of Courtrai, a noted bird of 

 this species, which has been known to be on the wing from S A.ai. to 

 3 P.M. From such facts as these I consider it conclusive that pearl on 

 white-eyed birds succeed the best in broad daylight and clear weather. 

 while the black or bull-eyed are the most to be depended upon under 

 directly contrary circumstances. The faculty by which Pigeons find 

 their way home, I think, may be explained thus. Upon being set at. 

 liberty the bird at once mounts in the air and performs three circles. 

 This flying in circles is entirely confined to Pigeons. On making the 

 last round it takes a straight course to an uncertain distance, and if at 

 the end of that distance its vision fails to recognise an object within 

 the circle of the locality of its home, it returns to the place whence it 

 has flown, when it again sets off in an opposite direction, and repeats 

 the experiment until it either catches sight of some familiar landmark, 

 or gives up in despau*, and becomes a lost bird. Mr. James Glashier,. 

 tbe celebrated aeronaut, being present, stated that when over London 

 one mile high he clearly saw the cliffs of Dover with the naked eye ; 

 presuming the vision of a Pigeon to be no stronger, it would then 

 take iu at that height a circumference of at least seventy miles. Thus, 

 if the bird be thrown 100 miles distant, it would see forty miles within 

 the circle of its home locality. Long distances, snch as 500 or 600' 

 miles, as a rule, are only attained by progressive training, by which the. 

 memoi*y of the bird is educated. 



CANARIES AND KABBITS AT STROUD SHOW. 



IN THE FANCY— CANARIES. 

 They were born the night we arrived, the "twosome" were; one, 

 at least, was, I am sure, for I found the shell in the bottom of the 

 cage. It's just a week to-night since we four — that is, our host and 

 hostess, "B. B." and I, filed out of the dining-room after dinner, 

 bent on a visit to the bird room. Our hostess, who is " in the fancy," 

 led us out at the front door, round the end of the house, along a short 

 path hedged with evergreens, across the back courtyard, past ** Darkie's "■ 

 kennel (Darkie is a fox-terrier of noble family, great at fox or badger, 

 and addicted to cats), up an extemporised staircase, to ascend which 

 necessitated an acrobatic performance mth a rope, and we stood 

 within the precincts of the sanctum sanctorum. I don't know which 

 was the more difficult feat of the two — to ascend that staircase with a 

 bonch of groundsel iu one hand and a plate of chopped egg in fth& 



