Ihe last was said to be a very slow flight. Supposing the first 
four birds to have occupied half the time assigned to them, in 
starting and aligliting, as it seems probable they would, then their 
average speed would be 85 miles per liour. ISIany remarkable 
instances of pigeon flights are on record. Eennie (“ Faculties of 
liirds ”) mentions one from Paris to Cologne in two hours and five 
minutes, at the rate of nearly 150 miles per hour. Bishop Stanley 
records the flight of a pigeon to a part of Holland, .300 miles 
distant, in five hours and three-quarters, at the rate of above 50 
miles an hour, supposing the bird lost not a moment and pro- 
ceeded in a straight line, which is not likely. Yarrell (vol. ii, p. 
29G, 2nd Edition) also mentions a number of birds sent up from 
London, the first of which arrived at Antwerp, a distance of about 
240 miles in five hours. But the most wonderful instance with 
which I am acquainted, is recorded by iSlr. Yarrell, in the preface 
to the second supplement to his “ History of British Birds.” Mr. 
Yarrell cpiotes a letter written to him by Sir John Eichardson, in 
which ho says : — 
“With respect to Sir John Boss’s pigeons, as far as I can recollect, 
he despatched a young pair on the 6th or 7th of October, 1850, from 
Assistance Bay, a little to the west of Wellington Sound, and on 
the 13th of October a pigeon made its appearance at the dove cot 
in Ayrshire, from whence Sir John had the two pairs of pigeons 
which he took out. The distance direct between the two places is 
about 2000 miles.” Well may Mr. Yarrell add, “by what extra- 
ordinary power did this interesting bird find its rvay, and by what 
route did it come ? ” 
Major Holland estimates the flight of rooks “ going home to bed, 
with full stomachs, and taking it easy,” at about 26 to 30 miles an 
hour; the speed of the albatross, in its swoop pivst the ship in 
company with which it is cruising, he reckons at about 90 miles an 
hour, “perhaps rather more than less.” The swallow. Bishop 
Stanley computes at 90 miles, and the swift, when dashing in 
headlong flight round the old church tower, chasing its companions 
in sportive flight, iMr. Strickland* believes to fly at the rate of 
from 130 or 140 miles per hour. The wood-pigeon flies, according 
to the same authority, from 90 to 140 miles in the hour, and the 
rock-dove even more than this. But superior to all,— inasmuch as 
* Field, loth March, 1866. 
