Class II. COMMON PIGEON. 387 



This practice was much in vogue in the East ; 

 and at Scanderoon, till of late years,* used on the 

 arrival of a ship, to give the merchants at A- 

 leppo a more expeditious notice than could be 

 done by any other means. In our own coun- 

 try, these aerial messengers have been em- 

 ployed for a very singular purpose, being let 

 loose at Tyburn at the moment the fatal cart 

 was drawn away, to notify to distant friends, 

 the departure of the unhappy criminal. 



In the East, the use of these birds seems to 

 have been improved greatly, by having, if we 

 may use the expression, relays of them ready 

 to spread intelligence to all parts of the coun- 

 try. Thus the governor of Damiata circulated 

 the news of the death of Orrllo : 



Tosto che'l Castellan di Damiata 

 Certificossi, ch'era morto Orrilo, 

 La Colomha lascio, eh'avea legata 

 Sotto l'ala la lettera col filo. 



ben so taughte, that thei fleen with tho letters to the verry place, 

 that men wolde send hem to. For the Coheres ben norysscht 

 in tho places, where thei ben sent to; and thei senden hem 

 thus, for to beren here letters. And the Coheres retournen 

 azen, where as thei ben norisscht and so they don comounly." 

 The voiage and travaile of Sir J. Maundevile, knight, cd. 

 1727- 



* Dr. Russel informs us, that the practice is left off. Hist 

 Aleppo, 66. 



2c2 



