HOMING BIEDP. 83 



" This power of flight is conjoined with an attachment to home that is not 

 surpassed by that of any other pigeon. As au example of this, I may state that I 

 kept a strange pair for two years — the first year in confinement, the second with 

 one wing of each bird partially cut. At the expiration of that time the wings 

 moulted, so that the birds gradually recovered the power of flight, and circled 

 round with the others ; but when the complete restoration was effected, my place 

 knew them no more. 



"In describing the Smerles, I have said nothing whatever respecting their colour. 

 The Belgian amateurs do not place the slightest value upon this property ; they 

 match up birds without any regard to colour, and the result is that the Smerles 

 can rarely be depended on for breeding true to the colour of the parents. Speed 

 • and endurance are the objects to be attained, and colour is altogether disregarded 

 — another proof, if any were wanting, of the absurdity of offering a prize for a pair 

 of well-matched Antwerps in a show-pen — a prize which is generally given to a pen 

 of birds that would never be seen again if let out fifty miles from home. There is 

 one colour, however, that finds but little favour with the Belgian amateurs, and 

 that is white. This dislike is not an unreasoning prejudice, but depends on the 

 fact that white birds are more conspicuous as they fly than those of darker colour ; 

 and, consequently, are more apt to be destroyed by hawks and sportsmen. Setting 

 whites, therefore, on one side, there is but little preference shown to any colour ; 

 and mealys, blues, chequers, blacks, and blue or black pied are all looked upon 

 with equal favour, if they possess the requisite power of wing to fly with equal 

 rapidity. Some of the flying birds seen in this country are frilled very much 

 like an Owl or Turbit; but I prefer birds without any such irregularity of 

 plumage, as it cannot but interfere with their easy and rapid passage through 

 the air. 



"As it may be interesting to read another description of these birds, I will trans- 

 late that of the editor of Le Pigeon. ' Smerles,' he writes, ' are the short-beaked 

 pigeons of the province of Liege. They are remarkable for their intelligence, and 

 also for the size of the skull and the well-developed structure of the wings. When 

 two years old they are capable of returning from Bordeaux to Liege or Verviers (a 

 distance of over 500 miles) in twelve hours, provided the sky be clear and the wind 

 favourable. In bad weather they return the following or the third day. The 

 journeys from Tours (330 miles), Chatelleraut (365 miles), and Poitiers (380 miles) 

 are performed by the same birds in eight hours.' 



"With regard to the value of these birds in Belgium, it is stated that a couple of 

 young Smerles, warranted bred from birds that have been flown long distances, sell 

 for lOOf. ; and a pigeon which has carried off several prizes in the long distance 

 matches will realize even as much as 500f., equivalent to about ,£20 English. 

 Some idea may be gained of the enthusiasm with which the flying fancy is pursued 

 in Belgium, when the fact is stated that there are 150 societies or clubs offering 

 prizes to be flown for, and that these include nearly 10,000 amateurs. 



"I recollect a fact that shows the importance attached to these birds in Belgium. 



