117 



277. (Beent.) — Pigeons, while homing, will occasionally past their homes, which is 

 a curious fact, termed ''overflying themselves." The Antwerps, I have been informed, 

 are liable to do so in short journeys. I have seen Pigeons in coming home fly past, 

 then turn and descend, which could not happen if they flew by sight. 



278. (Beent.) — Many other facts may be collected to prove that sight is not the 

 main source by which Pigeons find their homes. Sight may assist them when near, 

 and also in the manner of their flying high or low, to avoid objects and enemies, as 

 well as in settling ; otherwise I believe a Pigeon might be flown blindfolded, I feel con- 

 vinced, and have no hesitation in saying, that the power the Pigeon has of returning 

 home from a place many miles distant from where it has ever been before, is a natural 

 attraction or affinity between the bird and its home, or, in other words, I consider that 

 home is to the Pigeon what the north is to the magnet. 



PIGEON FLYING IN DELHI. 



279. We went up to the roof of the Masjid, and close beneath us saw a sport 

 for which Delhi is famous. On the roof of several houses were men waving little flags 

 to make their Pigeons fly, while elder men sat gravely by, smoking. A large hurdle was 

 fixed upon for the Pigeons to alight upon. When they meet another flight in the air 

 the two parties mingle, and one invariably carries away some from the other. Each 

 flock then returns home, and the owner, who has gained some of his neighbour's birds, 

 goes to him and threatens to sell them if they are not ransomed. It was very pretty 

 to watch two, three, and sometimes four flocks of these beautiful birds, of all colours 

 meeting, mingling, and then parting again. This is a favourite amusement of the old 

 king, many of whose bird-cages were on the top of his hall of justice, — Mrs, Macken- 

 zie's Six Years in Delhi. 



J. G. KOHL'S RUSSIA. 



280. Pigeons are sacred in the eyes of every Eussian : and as no one would dare 

 to harm them, they become so bold, that they walk about among a crowd in search of 

 their food, and scarcely make way either for a carriage or a foot passenger. Never- 

 theless they are in a half-wild and neglected state, and build their nests chiefly about 

 the roofs of the churches. They have their nests also under the roofs of the markets, 

 and particularly among the columns of the Gosbinnoi Dvor, where the merchants in 

 their hours of' leisure take a delight in feeding and caressing them. In the inner 

 courts of the houses of St. Petersburg there are always large holes or boxes^ that serve 

 as receptacles for every kind of dirt and rubbish which it is thought desirable to re- 

 move to the outside of the house. About these filthy boxes there may at times be seen 

 whole swarms of Pigeons, feeding on all kinds of garbage ; and the only wonder is 

 that the Russians should retain any afiection for birds that degenerate so woefully in 

 Russia, as to fight, like so many wolves, for putrid meat and fish entrails. Neverthe- 

 less, it is thought a species of sacrilege to kill a Pigeon. Boys may sometimes, indeed, 

 be seen running about with sticks, to the end of which cords are fastened, and to the 

 end of the cord a button or stone. This cord they throw dextrously round the neck of 

 the Pigeons, as the South Americans throw their lasso round the neck of the ox. The 

 Pigeons thus caught are sold to the Germans, who are said to convert the holy birds 

 into heathenish ragouts, or to bake them into sacrilegious pies. Whole swarms of 

 Pigeons are constantly fluttering about, the peaceful Russian being a great lover of 

 this gentle bird. Each swarm knows it own roof, and the birds allow themselves to be 

 caught without much difficulty when a bargain is about to be concluded. The Pigeon 

 is never eaten by a Russian, who would hold it a sin to harm an animal in whose form 

 the Holy Ghost is said to have manifested itself. Pigeons are bought, therefore, only 

 as pets, to be fed and schooled by their masters. It is curious to see a Russian mer- 

 chant directing the flight of his docile scholars. With a little flag fastenened to a long 

 staff he conveys his signals to them, makes them at his will rise higher in the air, fly to 

 the right or left, or drop to the ground as if struck by a bullet from a rifle. 



281. (Eaton.) — It is surprising the knowledge and tactics that generals possess? at 

 times they catch a Tartar When they are besieged, even in a strong fortress, where 

 they cannot communicate, or receive communications from head quarters— 'tis true 

 they may have telegrams, 'tis equally true the enemy's generals may posses as great 



