THE SPEED OF HOMING PIGEONS. 445 



hour of toss, for no one will fail to see that if Pigeons be tossed 

 a full hour prior to the time stated, and according to which the 

 race is governed, the rate of speed as then calculated is an 

 exaggerated one. 



"From observations extending over forty years, M. Roden 

 bach has arrived at 2150 yards as the maximum speed under a 

 strong but not a violent wind. In comparing the speed of the 

 Pigeon with that of our ordinary express trains, it has repeatedly 

 been shown, by actual toss from the train itself, that, as soon as it 

 had attained to its full speed, the Pigeon had decidedly the 

 advantage.* It remains only to reckon with the balloon, which at 

 a great elevation, does its sixty miles in the hour. In rainy and 

 foggy weather we have to greatly tone down our estimate of the 

 Pigeon's speed. This is then often transformed into extraordinary 

 slowness. Whilst in calm, bright weather our bird attains to a 

 height which reduces it to a speck in our eyes, it now flies low, 

 heavily and hap-hazard, accomplishing only, at the expense of 

 great exertion, a mere five or six hundred yards per minute. In 

 short tosses, the mean speed of the Pigeon, with fair weather and 

 favourable wind, is from 1350 to 1550 yards per minute. When 

 in any great national toss the birds return with upwards of 1100 

 yards a minute to their credit, the initial speed must have been 

 very considerable ; it may be fairly estimated that the first 250 

 miles were done at the rate of 1350 yards per minute, and 

 the remainder at 850, which gives us the average of 1100 yards 

 per minute. The rate of speed therefore diminishes in pro- 

 portion to the length of flight. But, in point of fact, nothing can 

 be accurately known as to the real speed of our bird, for when 

 calculating we take a straight line from the point of toss to that 

 of return. A very little consideration, however, will suffice to 

 show that the line thus drawn by us by no means represents 

 the distance actually flown. The Pigeon describes innumerable 

 curves when tracking its way through immensity. The winds are 

 masters of the road there, and have to be reckoned with by the 

 valiant and faithful creature. To-day you will see it returning by 

 the south, to-morrow by the north, the next day by the west. 



* The reverse of this is the case with the Partridge. SeeW. Burgess, 

 1 The Field,' 27th Nov., 1886, and Prof. Newton, 'Dictionary of Birds,' 1893 

 p. 566.— Ed. 



