ORIGIN OP HOMING PIGEONS. 



211 



All pigeons are strongly attached to their homes, and will 

 fly back to them as far as their powers allow. From time 

 immemorial this tendency has been used to make the birds 

 carry messages, as shown by Pliny and other classical authors ; 

 and it was early found that some strains, besides greater powers 

 of flight, possessed greater intelligence, memory, power of 



Fig. 33.— Aeea. 



observation, or other qualities which enabled them better 

 than others to Jind theiv way home. These mental and bodily 

 qualities admit of being cultivated, like any others ; and the 

 Homing Pigeon is a bird which, originally bred from various 

 sources, has been perfected by simply breeding together the 

 best performers, irrespective of shape or colour. The' types vary 

 a great deal even now ; some have long and thinnish beaksj 

 isome short and thick. All colours come from the same straiu. 



