The Homing Instinct. 
277 
or two at a time, and will, in all probability, when in a race, lose a great deal of valuable time in 
the same manner after their arrival home. The object in view is to get the birds to go out for a 
good long fly, and to see them come into the loft again when it is over without any delay whatever. 
This is more easily done when they are in a loft to themselves, as they can then always be let out 
hungry ; but it is rather difficult to manage that point successfully when the young birds on the 
wing are in the same loft or part of the loft as the old birds which are feeding young ones, and 
therefore require constant access to the food. If, however, the young ones persist in attempting to 
spend their time in sitting outside, they should be frequently frightened up, until they, to escape 
the annoyance, come down sharply and rush in at once. 
“ Fourthly, next in order of the subjects for consideration is the method of training the birds 
with a view to the developing of their homing faculty ; and this naturally leads to the inquiry, 
what is the homing faculty ? 
“It has been frequently and vigorously contended that the birds ‘home,’ as it is termed, by 
instinct pure and simple ; also, that instinct has nothing to do with their power of homing at all, 
but that the sight alone enables them to reach their lofts. Various other theories have been 
started, as that they will only fly to the north ; but the true theory doubtless is, that it is partly 
instinct, and partly sight, intelligence, and memory. I say partly instinct advisedly, though pro- 
bably many on reading thus far only would be ready to combat the idea. The mainspring of the 
resolute action of the homing bird in endeavouring to reach its home is, no doubt, the natural love 
of home, which is shared in by all the Homing Pigeons, and this I term instinct. As far as 
one can tell by careful observation, every homing bird, when thrown, endeavours to find its home at 
first. It stretches its neck as it flies round (or even if it pitches on some neighbouring roof), in its 
apparent endeavour to ascertain which direction it ought to make for. This, surely, which is 
developed in every bird, may properly be called instinct. It is the same with dogs, cats, horses, 
cattle ; it is, in fact, on record, that a race was once carried out with cats, which were taken 
away from their homes and let loose. With dogs it is an every-day occurrence ; and it is well 
known that cattle, when escaped from a field at a distance from home, will often beat 
about, until at last they walk into the homestead. But though this instinct may cause 
all the birds thrown at one time and place to endeavour to reach their respective 
homes, it does not enable them all to attain success. When they have started, and 
done their best to find out which way to go, instinct seems to have run its course. Then 
all these birds having probably, and, as I contend, the same instinct, have used it for the same 
purpose, and to the same end. But now come upon the scene other forces, namely, memory, 
intelligence, and observation. These enable a bird to remember the localities in which it has 
been flown before, to recognise landmarks it has noticed previously, and which are now pointed 
out to it by an intelligent observation of the country beneath it. Thus it is seen that though all 
may start fair, as it were, at first, still those endowed with the more retentive memory, the 
greatest intelligence, and the most accurate power of observation will, cceteris paribus , come home 
first. The instinct, then, being naturally present to a certain given extent, it forms a basis upon 
which man can work, and the materials to be used in the work are the memory, intelligence, and 
power of observation. These must be educated, improved, perfected by man’s labour and toil, in 
order to obtain a first-class bird. What one has to do, then, in training, is to give the birds a good 
knowledge of locality by repeated and ever-increasing trials, which will try the endurance of the 
bird as well as bring its gifts to perfection, and in doing so the greatest care is needed. 
“ As soon as the young birds have flown round their home for a few weeks, and appear 
at home on the wing, flying with some spirit and confidence, they may be taken in hand for 
