The Feather's Practical Pigeon Book 



sessOT, much against my desire, of a pair of my little 

 beauties. A paper flour-sack was provided, some .holes 

 cut in it for air, and he marched off the happy owner 

 of \Yhat he considered the nucleus of as fine a flock as 

 I had. His home was about ten miles from mine and 

 I bid adieu to my little friends never expecting to see 

 them again. But one day when paying my usual even- 

 ing visit to my pigeons, I found the pair I had sold him 

 occupying their old position in the loft. I could not be- 

 lieve it was them, so counted my birds over, and, sure 

 enough, I was two ahead of my usual count. A few 

 days after he called on me again to see if I would not 

 let him have another pair, and with a sorrowful face 

 related how he had kept these confined until he thought 

 they were thoroughly wonted to their home, and think- 

 ing to give them some exercise, turned them out the 

 very day I discovered them in their old location. He 

 said they soared around for a few moments, mounting 

 higher and higher, and finally darted ofif to the west and 

 he had never seen them since. When told they were 

 safe and that they were still his, a happier man was 

 never seen. Again he took them away, and kept them 

 confined until he had reared several pairs of young, 

 when, thinking that they must surely have forgotten 

 their old home, he once more gave them their liberty, 

 and I again was surprised to find them at night in their 

 old place. Three times they came back to me during the 

 year, and the last time it was agreed between us that 

 they should stay, since the old home seemed so dear to 

 them. 



But, as I have said, they are not kept for long journeys 

 but for high flying; that is, soaring to great heights from 

 the earth, although the above experience proves that 

 they possess the horning faculty to some extent. The 



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