The Feather's Practical Pigeon Book 



Pigeons when sent or taken for their long journeys 

 should be carried in roomy, airy baskets, and should not 

 be crowded, as this would tend to soil and rufHe their 

 plumage and thus unfit them for a successful flight. 

 Just before starting, say an hour, they should have fresh 

 water and a liberal feed; they will not then have to fly 

 with a loaded crop, as their food will be partially di- 

 gested, and they will yet be well fortified for a long 

 flight. Where Antwerps are U5.ed for carrying mes- 

 sages long distances, in consequence of the difficulties 

 they are subject to, such as murderous gunners, birds 

 of prey, storms, variable winds, etc., several should be 

 started at a time, each bearing the same message; this 

 will be more likely to insure its delivery, as all will hard- 

 ly be likely to fail in making the journey. Various ways 

 of attaching a message to the pigeon are used. Some 

 fasten it about one leg, securing it in place by small 

 rubber bands, others fasten it around one of the quill- 

 feathers of the tail, while others again place it between 

 two quills of the tail, and wrap them together with 

 thread, worsted, or rubber bands. But the most secure 

 and modern method is the aluminum message-holder. 

 The message should be written on a slip of silk paper, 

 as this is light and can be rolled very closely. When 

 written fine and closely a great deal can be said on a 

 small piece of such paper. Should the message be of 

 great importance and private, it can be written in cypher 

 and translated by a code previously agreed upon. Com- 

 munication of this kind was frequently used during the 

 late Franco-Prussian war to good advantage, and Ant- 

 werps are still kept by the different governments of 

 Europe with an eye tc tuture emergencies in time of 

 war, and receive regular and systematic training. Our 

 own government has used Homing Pigeons as means 



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