The Feather's Practical Pigeon Book 



us the splendid races of Homing Pigeons we now have. 

 It was for a long time a disputed question by what 

 means a pigeon "voyageur" found his way home when 

 liberated at great distances from it, some claiming it 

 was by sight alone, others that it was by instinct, and 

 that a good bird would find its cote if tossed in any di- 

 rection. But experience has taught that it is by sight, 

 aided by this faculty of recognizing localities quickly, 

 that the pigeon finds its home. Flying, as they do when 

 at liberty, at a great altitude, they become acquainted 

 with every prominent object about their homes — steep- 

 les, domes, lofty buildings, rivers, lakes, and trees. 

 When put in training they are taken at first a short dis- 

 tance from the loft. As soon as liberated and they have 

 themselves well gathered together, as it were, for a 

 flight, they begin to fly in circles, constantly widening 

 as they ascend, and keep this up until reaching a height 

 at which they can discern some familiar object. ^ They 

 at once strike for this knowing that their goal is in that 

 direction. Frequent practice of this kind familiarizes 

 them with all the country between the points from 

 which they are started and home. 



I am inclined to believe that rivers and lakes are 

 prominent guides for the Homing bird. At the great 

 heights to which they rise, especially when in a new lo- 

 cality, the lakes and rivers, like silver mirrors and 

 threads, are more prominent than other objects, and by 

 following their course they are led to more iamiliar 

 scenes. Pigeons flying where the landscape is familiar 

 do not fly as high as where it is comparatively 

 strange; another proof that they are guided chief- 

 ly by sight. While sight is the Homing Pigeon's 

 main dependence, it is aided by a certain amount of in- 

 ■telligence and a large amount of courage, patience, and 



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