Crass Il. COMMON PIGEON. 
pigeon fhews to its native place, is employed in 
many countries as the moft expeditious courier: | 
the letters are tied under its wing, it is let loofe, 
and in a very fhort fpace returns to the home it was 
brought from, with its advices*. This practice 
was much in vogue inthe Eaf; and at Scande- 
voon, till of late years+, ufed on the arrival of a 
fhip, to give the merchants at Aleppo a more ex- 
peditious notice than could be done by any other 
means. In our own country, thefe aerial meflen- 
gers have been employed for a very fingular pur- 
pofe, being let loofe at Zyburm at the moment the 
* This cuftom was obferved by that legendary traveller, 
Sir Fohn Maundevile, knight, warrior and pilgrim; who, with 
the true fpirit of religious chivalry, voyaged into the aft, 
and penetrated as far as the borders of China, during the 
reigns of Edward IE. and III. 
‘« In that contree,”’ fays he, ‘‘ and other contrees bezonde, 
thei han a cuftom, whan thei fchulle ufen werre, and whan 
-men holden fege abouten cytee or caftelle, and thei with- 
_ innen dur not fenden out meffagers with lettere, fro lord to 
lord, for to afke fokour, thei maken here letters and bynden 
hem to the nekke of a Colver, and leten the Colver flee; 
and the Colveren ben fo taughte, that thei fleen with tho let- 
ters to the verry place, that men wolde fend hem to. For 
the Colveres ben noryficht in tho places, where thei ben fent 
to ; and thei fenden hem thus, for to beren here letters, And 
the Colveres retournen azen, where as thei ben noriffcht and 
fo they don comounly.” The voiage and travaile of Sir 
SJ» Maundevile, knight, ed. 1727. 
+ Dr. Rufel informs us, that the practice is left off. Hi/f. 
Aleppo, 66. 
fetal 
ek: 
