i'1(;e()\s and all aixm't 'riiKM. 221 



The successful flyer not only watches to sec tlinttlie piMjper 

 lione and muscle, the proper stamina, enters into his binls, 

 but he knows every blocd line in his loft, and when he mates 

 he tries to blend the birds, the records of the ancestors of 

 which show so plainly where the coveted "homer sense" lies. 



Two great es,sentials in handling Homers are trajijiiug and 

 training. Young birds can be taught to trajj fast in a few 

 days. Let them go hungry and drive them out of the loft, 

 on a uic-i; morning, and get them up in tlie air. 



Then let the bob-wires down and throw a good feed in 

 plain sight, on the floor, and, being hungry they will soon 

 force in and go to feeding. Try it again in the evening, and 

 so on day after day, till the tiirds find that the sooner they 

 bolt in, the sooner Ihey will get to feeding. He sure and 

 liavt' either a very large entrance liole, or several small ones 

 so tliat a single bird cannot stand at the hole and licat off 

 he others that wish to enter. 



The young birds must be trained to "lionie" and in this 

 connection 1 want to sound a note of warning against over- 

 working young bird.'-. Uetter ten good liies of ten njiles each, 

 than one bad one of twenty-five. Trainjug shouh. begin at 

 say live months, for liy that time the youngsters will get a 

 good knowledge of localities around the home loft. They 

 should be taken short distances, not in one direction, but to 

 all the i)oints of the comp^ass. 



The idea is to give tliom a conception of where hi>ine lies, 

 so that no matter where they are sent on lung trills, tlie same 

 general knowledge of line of tliglit, will uuide them. 



But, to return to my subject, and it i,^ well to use a rubber 

 stamp, and on the wing of each bird, and on the tail featliers 

 stamj) a request to notify you, (using name and address,) if 

 the bird is caught or shot. 



