PIGEONS 



297 



we give here some advice on the training of 

 messenger birds wliicli may be useful to the 

 amateur. 



The young pigeons must be taught to stay 

 in the basket, or hamper, in which they will later 

 be taken to the point of departure. When four 

 months old they may be let loose, regularly and 

 cautiously, at very short distances. During the 

 first year this distance may be increased to 

 about forty miles, which, however, is far from 

 being the maximum for birds of good promise. 

 It sometimes happens that very promising young 

 birds do not continue to fly rapidly ; and it is 

 best, therefore, to spare all young birds and not 

 require too much of them. Each bird should 

 rest for some days after a flight. 



The second year the distance should be gradu- 

 ally increased until iourne\s of about ninety 

 miles can be made. The third year the bird, thus 

 carefully trained, is fit to rejoice his master by 

 some brilliant successes at exhibitions. 



The best time to begin exercising the birds 

 is the end of May, when the weather is settled 

 and likely to continue serene. Each bird should 



be carefully examined before its departure. 

 Its feet and legs should be washed in tepid 

 water, and all dust and impure substances re- 

 moved. The food must not be too abimdant, 

 but neither should the [ligeon be led to hasten 

 its homeward flight by want of food, for weak- 

 ness and exhaustion may hinder its safe return. 



As a d(jmeslic animal each |)igeon has fiil- 

 fillecl its duty when it returns, safe and sound, 

 to our roof ; and we need nrjt trouble ourselves 

 as to whether or not it has broken such or such 

 a record by a fifth of a second. 



The messenger pigeon, if trained for domes- 

 tic use, brings much pleasure into the house- 

 hold ; therefore we strongly advise that the 

 attempt be made to raise them, and a little 

 corner yielded to the dovecote, near the ken- 

 nel, out of reach of cats, above the p(jultry 

 yard, or beside the stable, where their pleasant 

 cooing may mingle with the mooing of the cow, 

 the neighing of the horse, and the soft warbling 

 of the aviary birds in a hymn to the gior)' of 



OUR DOMESTIC ANIMALS. 



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