39 
 1 
 
THE 
 
 WORKING 
 HOMER. 
 
 BY J. A. WEBBER. 
 
 Mj c. IE. -Cwombls, ^ 
 JU publisher, ^ 
 Oir )6oston, \tf 
 
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LIBRARY of CONGRESS 
 Two CoDies Received 
 APR 22 1904 
 y ' Cooyrleht Entry 
 
 yj CLASS tfl-XXj. N6. 
 
 1/ f /Cory B 
 
 717 U 
 
 Copyrighted. 1904: 
 
 C. E. TWOMBLY. BOSTON 
 
 >K 
 
 -7_ i2-7'^5' 
 
PREFACE. 
 
 IN writing this series of articles upon the Homing 
 pigeon, it was my intention, at first to confine my 
 remarks to the breeding and training of these won- 
 derfully interesting "messengers of the air." On more 
 mature consideration, however, I have been persuaded 
 as preparatory to the subjects, to present a few facts 
 gathered from reliable authorities and authentic sources 
 upon the origin and make-up of the present breed of 
 Homing pigeons, passing next to the remarkable, and 
 as yet hidden and imdiscovered " instinct on faculty," 
 which are the characteristics of the true voyageur. I 
 shall then take up in the order named "The Loft and its 
 Appurtenances;" "Stocking a Loft — the type of birds;" 
 "Mating and Breeding;" "Feeding and Handling;" 
 "Training;" "Diseases and their Remedies;" "Some of 
 earlier, as well as later, flights made in this coun- 
 try;" and lastly "A history of the National Organiza- 
 tions which have fostered and popularized the sport in 
 America. " Pigeon culture from the earliest times has 
 had its attractions, not alone among those in the hum- 
 bler walks of life, but among men of science, naturalists 
 and those high in position and estate. 
 
 J. A. WEBBER. 
 
IDEAL EXHIBITION WORKING HOMERS. 
 
THE WORKING HOMER. 
 
 ORIGIN. 
 
 THE fancy for pigeons was in vogue among the 
 Egyptians, the Greeks and the Romans, the 
 uses of the messenger pigeon being well under- 
 stood in those days, while pigeon breeding and rearing 
 in our present day form a pleasant and interesting rec- 
 reation among the Turks, Egyptians, Italians, Germans, 
 French, Belgians and English. In America the sport 
 is as yet, we may say, in its infancy, though within the 
 past 15 years it has made such rapid strides and taken 
 such a strong hold in many localities as to enlist the 
 attention not only of the press, but of the public at 
 large, while men of culture, of influence, and of position 
 have been enlisted in the breeding and training of 
 these wonderfully iute resting feathered pets. At first, 
 the sport in this country was confined to the cities of 
 New York and Philadelphia, where, in 1872-73, it had 
 its beginning with such veteran fanciers as Van Opstal, 
 Waefelaer and the Grist Brothers as its leading spirits; 
 to-day there is probably not a city in the Union which 
 cannot boast of homing pigeon fanciers, while in the 
 
larger Eastern, Western, and, to some extent, Southern 
 cities, clubs and associations of fanciers are constantly 
 forming for the advancement and enjoyment of the 
 fascinating sport. Far away California, New Mexico 
 and Canada are by no means behind in taking up the 
 enjoyable and interesting pastime. In the former and 
 latter localities many intelligent fanciers may be found 
 who are giving the breeding and training of the Hom- 
 ing pigeons much study and thought with a view of 
 acquiring still greater knowledge of the ca])abilities and 
 usefulness of these feathered messengers. That our 
 present breed of Homing pigeons originally sprang 
 from Belgian soil there can be little doubt, as from 
 writings still in existence, the favorite pastime of racing 
 pige ons, for short distances at least, was practised in 
 Antwerp as early as the thirteenth century. The strain 
 of birds used in those days was known as the Cumu- 
 let (a species of Tumblers) and noted not only for 
 their high flying qualities but for their great endurance 
 on the wing, having been known to fly continuously for 
 as many as fourteen and fifteen hours on a stretch. 
 
 The pure bred Cumulet has a perfect pearl wliite eye, 
 surrounded by a yellow eye cere, and a small M'attle up- 
 on the upper mandible, or beak; the beak is moderately 
 long and thin, and the head well formed; its body is well 
 proportioned, with full breast properties, long wings, 
 which reach almost to the end of the tail, the flight 
 feathers being wide and well shaped, the quills strong 
 and wiry; the color of the bird is generally white, >vhich 
 explains the cause of so many of the Belgian birds of 
 to-day having white feathers in their wings. Up to 
 
about 1825 (and it was somewhere about this date that 
 pigeoD flying was first introduced into England) the 
 breed of Cum.ulets thus described was kept pure in Bel- 
 gium; in later years, however, in order to procure a 
 larger type of bird, and thus combine other qualities 
 with that of flying, the English Dragoon ( or Carrier) 
 cross was brought into play. Whether by the in- 
 fusion of this new blood the much hoped for improve- 
 ment in the breed has been secured is a question which 
 I will take up later on. Another cross which has had 
 considerable to do in the make-up of our present breed 
 of Homing pigeons is the Smerle (a species of Owl) a 
 type of bird bred very extensively for years in the 
 province of Liege, Belgium. The pure Smerle is a 
 much smaller bird than the Cumulet or the Dragoon; 
 short beaked, often having a frill;" very persistent in 
 finding its home, and very intelligent. 
 
 The Homing pigeon of to-day then is the product of 
 these three varieties named, and as may be imagined, 
 by the careful and systematic crossing of the long 
 beaked birds with the short beaked ones . The medium, 
 or typical bird is the natural result. 
 
INSTINCT OR FACULTY. 
 
 MUCH misconception prevails in the minds of 
 those who are unacquainted with the the hab- 
 its of our feathered pets as to just what is 
 meant by "Homing or messenger pigeon," and many 
 have been the absurd and altogether impossible imagin- 
 ing of, and impressions formed by those who have not 
 studied the question of the "Homing of the pigeon" or, 
 as the French express it Orientation. Now, what is 
 this hidden, unsolved phenomenon by which these 
 birds can discover (almost, we might say immediately) 
 the direction of their home? for a bii'd which, liberated 
 at 5 o'clock, 500 miles air line from home, is found in 
 its loft before dark the same day has precious few mo- 
 ments to lose at the start. Some eminent writers at- 
 tribute the power to a "remarkable instinct," others 
 claim that while natural instinct may do much for the 
 Homer, sight (that brilliant and powerful telescopic 
 organ of vision) is the main, the almost sole guide by 
 which the pigeon makes discovery of his home. 
 
 Some few ascribe it to the atmospheric impressions 
 received by the birds while en-voyage, while others 
 claim the predominant faculty to be their extreme and 
 strong attachment for home coupled with a memory 
 which aids it in the successful accomplishment of its 
 determination, after many attempts perhaps, to reach 
 
the opject of its search. Lastly, and by far the most 
 reasonable as well as the most natural explanation of 
 the theory, and one which seems to be in the judg- 
 ment of very many of our scientific men, as well as 
 those who have studied the habits of these wonderful 
 birds, the most feasible is, that by a careful and patient 
 education of the bird, by judicious exercise or training 
 of the natural faculties the intelligence is developed. 
 Now, if we will add to the intellectual faculties the 
 fact of the bird being possessed of a marvellous sight, a 
 prodigious and marvel ious memory, an innate love for 
 home, we can readily conceive that it is this combina- 
 tion of natural and acquired causes, which makes it the 
 most useful, intelligent and interesting of all the feath- 
 ered world. 
 
 In order that my readers may be able to fully and 
 intelligently grasp the conclusion thus adduced, let me 
 quote from some of our best authorities upon this sub- 
 ject. Felix Robenbach says; "It is then most certainly 
 not purely instinct that guides pigeons, as so many of 
 the pigeon fanciers say. Instinctively speaking, ani- 
 mals know all that they should know, men should learn 
 all. In fact, if it were otherwise, if the pigeon were 
 only guided by instinct, its actions would be guided in 
 a uniform manner, that is to say, without wish, without 
 choice, let us say without judgment. It would never 
 be mistaken, because instinct is, properly speaking, in, 
 fallible. This point is incontestable. Let us join to 
 the intellectiial faculties, the acquired hal:)its, the con- 
 sideration that the pigeon has a marvellous sight and 
 prodigious memory, and we can conclude with reliance 
 
that it is by a combination of sight, memory and in- 
 telligence, instinct aiding, by whicli the pigeon regains 
 its loft.'' 
 
 Another authority Brent, says: "Many facts may be 
 collected to prove that sight is not the main scource by 
 which pigeons find their homes. Sight may assist them 
 when near, and also in the manner of their Hying high 
 or low, to avoid objects and enemies, as well as in 
 settling; otherwise I believe a pigeon might be flown 
 blindfolded. I feel convinced and have no hesitation 
 in saying that the power a pigeon has of returning 
 home from a place many miles distant from Avhere it 
 has even been before, is a natural attraction or affinity 
 between the bird and its home, or in other words, I 
 consider that liome is to the pigeon what the North is 
 to the magnet." 
 
 Still another eminent fancier gives his views upon 
 the subject thus: "My long experience with the Hom- 
 ing pigeon in its vagaries and its methods, leads me to 
 rank its performance as the highest act of which an 
 animal is capable, and to believe that it is not to be as- 
 cribed to the blind guidance of instinct, but that the 
 bird is entirely dependent upon its intelligence; that 
 its superior organization of brain permits some sort of 
 mental direction to its actions of which others of the 
 animal creation are not capable. It is by its keen sight 
 and wonderful memory, directed by its intelligence and 
 poised by perfect physical condition that it answers to 
 the demand of the governing impulse of nature — the 
 love of home." 
 
 10 
 
As I have remarked, very much misunderstanding 
 and ignorance is shown by some very intelligent persons 
 as to the habits and faculties of the Homing pigeons. 
 I remember (and no doubt others have had similar ex- 
 periences') on one occasion, after having liberated a 
 basket of birds, a gentleman stejjped up and innocently 
 inquired, " How soon will those birds return to the 
 basket?" With a suppressed chuckle I replied, as I 
 stepped upon the train, that it would hardly be worth 
 his while to wait, as it might be some time. On another 
 occasion when starting a basket of birds, I was asked 
 whether they would bring a message back with them? 
 I do not recall my answer. Numberless times have I 
 been asked how the birds carry the message, whether 
 in the beak, around the neck, on the feet, or elsewhere? 
 This last query calls to mind an article clipped from an 
 old magazine, and which reads like a fairy story which 
 it no doubt is. 
 
 "Now you must know that in Turkey they make use 
 of pigeons that are trained and accustomed to the work, 
 and have rings or bands on their legs. These pigeons 
 are taken from Bassora and Babylon to Aleppo and 
 Constantinople, and vice versa; and it there is anything 
 needful or important to advise, they make fast the let- 
 ter to the wing on the bird's leg and let the ])igeon fly 
 away, so the letter comes with the pigeon to the place 
 whence it was brought. It flies sometimes a thousand 
 miles or more, which one would declare to be impossi- 
 ble." I mention these incidents to show the utter ab- 
 surdity of the general idea of the characteristics of the 
 Homing pigeon as 2 message bearer. In order to 
 
 11 
 
Illustrate the degree of intelligence and reassuring 
 power of which the Homer is capable, let me relate an 
 incident which came under my own observation not 
 long ago. On account of change of residence and con- 
 sequent removal of my loft, I had occasion to resort to 
 a little tact in order to safely settle my birds to their 
 new^ localities, without loss, and this is the way I did 
 it I moved my loft to the new location, built a story 
 on top of the old one with a flat roof, the old one being 
 pitch; all this time I had the birds up in boxes and bas- 
 kets. Having my loft furnished I put my birds into it, 
 put up my old traps and the next morning left it open 
 for my birds to get out, gave them no feed or water un- 
 til all the birds were out, then I put in water and feed 
 and on my arrival home that night I went to my loft 
 and to my surprise I found every bird in but one. The 
 following night every bird was on his old perch, not 
 losing one bird. Does not this incident show most 
 conclusively that to the natural faculities of sight, mem- 
 ory and instinct was added that other faculty of intelli- 
 gent reasoning which proved such a valuable factor in 
 the successful accomplishment of their purpose in the 
 incident related. 
 
 ,>&^, 
 
 12 
 
THE LOFT. 
 
 WE now come to the loft and appurtenances, and 
 it is here where possibly our conclusions will 
 differ somewhat from those of a few of our 
 older fanciers, as well as some of our Lest writers upon 
 Homing pigeons, for the latter almost without exception 
 will tell you that the best place and most suitable for a 
 loft is on the roof, and that the higher the loft is from 
 the ground the better; my experience has taught me 
 that such is not a necessary requisite to success either 
 in breeding or training. I will admit that there are 
 certain advantages in having a lofty elevation in order 
 that the young birds more especially may be enabled to 
 discern the surroundings of tlieir home, though I could 
 cite more than one instance coming under my own ob- 
 servation where the youngsters have darted off from 
 their loft on the roof and that was the last seen of 
 them. That the birds may possibly run less risks from 
 four-footed as well as two-legged depredators, I will 
 admit. I know also of a loft situated like P. W. 
 Krause's, on the roof of the topmost story of his store 
 on New Market St., Philadelphia, from which one can 
 follow the windings of the Delaware River for miles, 
 both up and down. It does seem as if lofts with such 
 an elevation would have many advantages in settling 
 and flying birds, but they have their disadvantages and 
 
 13 
 
objectionable features as well, the foremost of which is, 
 that in almost every instance where the loft is so located 
 I invariably noticed the birds being unaccustomed from 
 their isolated position, to the presence of anyone 
 except their attendant, and he only at stated intervals 
 to feed, water, etc., become so wild as to be almost un- 
 approachable, and if the trap is open they will dash off 
 at the slightest intrusion or noise. Such birds, I con- 
 tend are not trained in the full acceptance of the term, 
 but of this I will speak more fully under its proper 
 head (Handling and Training). 
 
 Again, such localities are often inconvenient of access 
 and in many cases seriously objectionable (when lo- 
 cated on the roof of a dwelling) to the occupants, and 
 I do not wonder that our tidy wives and mothers oft- 
 times seriously object to the practice which some fan- 
 ciers have of making their homes a public thoroixgh- 
 fare for the convenience and accommodations of their 
 fancier friends and acquaintances, who have been privi- 
 leged, or rather tolerated, to tramp through the house 
 at all hours of the day. The loft, then, need not 
 necessarily be located on the house top, nor in the at- 
 tic, but sim])ly of sufficient height from the ground as 
 to be out of reach of cats and rats, and with such an 
 outlook that the birds can drop easily upon the alight- 
 ing board on return from a fly. I like the loft built 
 about two feet off the ground with an oval roof, or the 
 upper floor of a stable or out-building. If at one's 
 service, I would advise beginners especially, to start 
 with a small or moderate sized loft, say not over ten 
 feet long, by six to eight feet wide and six to seven feet 
 
 14 
 
Blue Checker Homer Cock, Imported, Record 550 Miles in the Day. 
 A Great Stock Bird and Winner as an Exhibition Working Homer. 
 
high, a loft of these dimensions will comfortably house 
 twelve to fifteen pairs of birds, which, if of good stock 
 can not only be successfully handled, but will tax 
 neither the time nor the pocket of its owner to any 
 considerable extent, I can call to mind more than one 
 loft six by five in dimensions and occupied by but a half 
 dozen pairs of birds, the season's work of which will 
 compare favorably with dozens of much more pre- 
 tentious lofts. 
 
 What the successful fancier must have is a loft of 
 such size that he can look after and keep it in order 
 himself, and wherein every bird is like its owner — a 
 worker, such a loft will be heard from in the fiying 
 season, and with credit to its owner. Take the lofts of 
 such successful fanciers as C. A. Mahr of Newark, N. J., 
 A, H. Kruger of Germantown, W. S. Torkington, Phila- 
 delphia, and John D. Munro, IMiiladelphia, without 
 exception moderate sized lofts, not built away up in 
 the air (none of them being over ten feet from the 
 ground) thoroughly equiped with all the requirements 
 of a thorough, wide awake, progressive fancier. 
 
 In locating the loft, if possible let the traps face the 
 South or West, a window with a sliding sash at one 
 end and an entrance door at the other, with an inside 
 screen door for use in warm weather. This will give 
 sufficient light and ventilation, both of which are so 
 essential to the comfort and health of the birds, I have 
 often been asked what is the best trap or how should I 
 make my trap? This all depends on the loft or rather 
 the roof of the loft . If it is a flat roof I like the fol- 
 lowing trap best: take inch strips and make a frame, say 
 
 16 
 
2 feet long, 18 inches wide and 18 to 24 inches high, 
 then I cover three sides and the top with poultry wire, 
 except a six inch space, all roun'd the top, and in this 
 space I hang bob-wires. To the three sides facing 
 away from the loft, I have a six inch board and have it 
 go arranged that the trap extends six inches above the 
 roof. That gives the birds a chance to drop into the 
 trap right from the roof or from any side of the trap; I 
 find this the best trap for a flat roofed loft. For a 
 pitch roof I have a large alighting board, say 18 inches 
 and 4 feet long and in the middle I have the entrance 
 a space of 18 inches wide by 8 inches iiigh, with a 
 string of bob-wires, then on the inside of the entrance 
 I have the trap so I can catch my birds easily when 
 they come home from a race. I find these two traps 
 the best since we have the timing machines. 
 
 The most impoz'tant inside fixtures of a loft are the 
 nesting boxes or breeding apartments. These may be 
 constructed in a number of ways, according to the 
 ingenuity or preference of the owner. After much 
 observation and experience, however, I have no hesi- 
 tation in saying that for successful results in breed- 
 ing strong, healthy and vigorous youngsters, as well as 
 for general utility, the style of breeding apartments I 
 have been using for the past ten years are built so that 
 they can be removed when the breeding season is over. 
 I generally have them raised off the floor eight to twelve 
 inches. The dimensions are 12x12x24 inches long, 
 with a frame to fit in the front, a small door is in the 
 centre, with wire run up and down in the frame one 
 and one-half inches apart. The frame is fastened in 
 
 17 
 
its place by small buttons and can easily be removed to 
 clean out the nests, and when not in use I close the 
 small door to keep the other birds out. Another ad- 
 vantage of having open front nest boxes is, the moment 
 you set your foot inside the loft j'ou have everything 
 in full view right before you, both young and eggs, and 
 I find my birds are much tamer. I use earthen nest 
 pans, two in a box, and while they have young on one 
 side they will lay the second pair of eggs in the other 
 nest pan. 
 
 The next important feature is a healthy drinking 
 fountain, I emphasize the word healthy because of its 
 absolute necessity. Pure, clear water at all times is as 
 essential to the health of your birds as pure air or sub- 
 stantial food is to our own well being. Some fanciers 
 use a simple galvanized or earthen dish, over which 
 part way is placed a board or strip of wood, to prevent 
 the birds standing in it. This receptacle is cleaned 
 easil}', and every day once or more. Others use a 
 stone drinking fountain, holding one, two, or more 
 (juarts — such a fountain should be rinsed out thoroughly 
 every day; others use a zinc vessel, the bottom part 
 convex and the top cone shape which is removable, in 
 order when taken off, the fountain may be reversed and 
 stood upon the plane of section while being filled. Of 
 course all these appliances are a substitute for running 
 water in a loft, which is in most cases impracticable, 
 but wliich is j^ar excellence. 
 
 A feed hopper should only be used when a fancier 
 can only get to see his birds once a da}--, otherwise it is 
 a lazy man's appliance, and next to an impufe drinking 
 
 18 
 
fountain will do more to breed disease than anything I 
 know of. More birds die yearly from being overfed 
 than underfed, and besides such an appliance is a sure 
 preventive from conditioning your birds for the work 
 required of them. 
 
 The loft should be supplied with a separate roosting 
 place for every bird in the loft, with two or three to 
 spare, as every bird likes to occupy his own particular 
 place, especially at night, and once having chosen its 
 place in the loft it will tight long and hard to retain it. 
 These perches may be made of a shape of letter A, and 
 should be placed at least ten inches apart so that the 
 birds cannot fight. I agree with an eminent writer 
 who says, "Changes should not be too frequent in a 
 loft, the Homer more than any other bird holds to its 
 habits, and it is to keep its own loft and regular place in 
 it that causes it to return from long distances." When 
 one vexes this tendency, either by change of rriate, nest 
 box or in the arrangements of a loft, it weakens this 
 tendency to preserve the same habits, and induces the 
 instinct of change. The bird loses its fidelity to home, 
 and is apt to go astray to neighboring lofts. 
 
 The floor of the loft should be sprinkled to the depth 
 of an inch or more with common bar sand. In the 
 nesting places one of the best preventatives from ver- 
 min is fine sawdust, scattered liberally in the bottom 
 and filling up the crevices around the sides. For lining, 
 the nest nothing is better than pine sawdust and short 
 tobacco stems which are certainly both healthy and ver- 
 min proof. Hay and straw should never be used, as it 
 not only becomes filthy, but harbors vermin. Another 
 
 19 
 
essential requisite to every well kept loft is a rake and 
 a scraper, which should be used effectively once a week 
 at least, to remove all the droppings, scrape the perches 
 and clean the floor of all offensive matter, for if this 
 be allowed to remain your loft will soon be overrun 
 with ticks, lice and fleas, to the great discomfort of 
 owner and occupants. Nothing, I think, is more re- 
 pugnant to a true fancier than a dirty, ill-kept loft, and 
 yet I have seen the lofts of fanciers prominent in the 
 sport, so filthy as to make one shrink from entering 
 them. On the contrary I have been in many lofts 
 where the owner prided himself in keeping everything 
 as clean and sweet as a room in his own hoiase. I leave 
 the reader to draw his own comparisons. 
 
 If the loft be of sufficient size, a wire partition should 
 be provided, to be used after the birds are through 
 breeding to separate the sexes during the fall and win- 
 ter months. This partition can be made in two parts 
 so as to be easily put up by means of hooks and re- 
 moved when not needed. Having prepared the loft I 
 will next give my views as to the best method of stock- 
 ins: the same. 
 
 20 
 
STOCKING THE LOFT. 
 
 HAVING pi-ovided a comfortable loft, the next is 
 "How shall I stock it, and what is the type of 
 bird that I want to fly, and breed from?" As I 
 have said, these are important questions, and require 
 not only careful judgment but a practical knowledge 
 of the intricate problem of successful pigeon flying. I 
 would suggest therefore to the amateur fancier about 
 to engage in what he will find a most fascinating and 
 exceedingly interesting pastime, (even though its path- 
 way to success be strewn with many hidden obstacles, 
 and ofttimes sore and perplexing disappointments) 
 that if possible, he enlist the services of some fancier, 
 in whose judgment he may have not only the fullest 
 confidence, but one who, through years of experience, 
 coupled with a careful and critical observation, has 
 kept himself thoroughly posted as to just which strains 
 have been doing the successful work in the past years 
 in the federation or association races. For, as with 
 the old adage, "The proof of the pudding is in the eat- 
 ing," so in pigeon flying, while size, shape, color and 
 appearance may attract and captivate the eye, it is after 
 all the actual performance of the bird or its progeny 
 which should be of paramount importance, and the 
 keener the competition in which the bird is engaged 
 the more valuable the record made. It is just here 
 
 21 
 
where an association record (the highest honor attain- 
 able) as far surpasses that made under club manage- 
 ment as does the record made under club rules exceed 
 in value that made under individual management. 
 
 In the first instance the competition may engage, and 
 probably does, a thousand birds or more, from many 
 localities, and the management being thoroughly im- 
 partial and disinterested, the records made are of un • 
 questioned genuineness, and in such strong competition 
 are of paramount value. A club record engaging, as it 
 may, a dozen, or a score or more of birds, though hon- 
 estly made and protected by all the safeguards available 
 and which may be perfectly satisfactory to its fellow 
 club members, can never carry with it the same certifi- 
 cation of genuineness or value as that made under the 
 national organization. While the records made under 
 individual management simply satisfies or not, as the 
 outcome may be, the owner of the birds engaged, and 
 carries no possible weight beyond that which his fel- 
 low fanciers may choose to place in his word. This 
 may be much less than most fanciers might imagine, 
 for how often have we heard the expression, "I'd 
 trust his honor, or take his word at any time, except 
 when you come to pigeon flying, and there I must draw 
 the line." But I have wandered (not without profit I 
 hope) from my original subject. 
 
 Having secured the services of some veteran or well- 
 informed fancier friend, we solicit his company while 
 we make an inspection of a half-dozen or so of prom- 
 inent and successful fanciers' lofts. With his assistance 
 secure, if possible, several pairs (as many as the size of 
 
 22 
 
one's loft and pocketbook will permit) of strong, 
 healthy and likely looking youngsters, from stock of 
 acknowledged superiority, and which have been tested 
 in keen competition, proving thei)' value not only as 
 reliable voyageurs, but as speedy birds in the races, for 
 in these days of advancement and ])rogi'ess it is not 
 sufficient that your birds liave made the 200, 300, 400, 
 500 and 600 mile records. That que^tition is quickly 
 supplemented with another and equally important one, 
 "Did they do the mile in a minute, or the distance in 
 3 1-2, 5, 7 or 10 hours?" This is just the kind of work 
 that the progressive and wide awake fancier hopes m 
 the near future, if not at the present day, to accom- 
 plish w-itli his racers. 
 
 If it be impossible to visit the loft in person, by scan- 
 ning the columns of the pigeon papers we can, without 
 much risk of going astray, select the names and ad- 
 dresses of two, three or more reliable breeders, with 
 whom, after correspondence, an order can be placed 
 for the stock desired. But beware of the fancier that 
 flies his birds for his own pleasure, and does not be- 
 lieve in joining any club or association, he will tell 
 3^ou he has made such and such great records, but you 
 will not see it in any pigeon journal. 
 
 Some few beginners may perhaps prefer to purchase 
 a half dozen or more pairs of old tried American, Eng- 
 lish or Belgian record birds, and breed the foundation 
 of a loft of flyers from these. This would be my way 
 of starting if I was to start anew, but for a beginner I 
 think it best to buj^a few pairs of old reliable breeders 
 and also a few pairs of young birds, which should be 
 
 23 
 
secured when about five weeks old. If procured at 
 this age they can be settled to their new quarters with 
 but little difficulty, provided, of coiarse, proper pre- 
 caution is used, for instance, after the birds have been 
 placed in the new loft give them a few days to become 
 accustomed and reconciled to their new homes, then, 
 towards evening of some quiet day when the wind is 
 not strong, let them pass out on the trap and look about 
 them, and never under any circumstances urge them to 
 leave the loft, give them plenty of time to make their 
 observations. 
 
 If after coming out in the trap they merely look 
 about them and return to the loft, so much the bettor. 
 This will be sufficient for their first experience, let 
 them remain inside for that day and on the morrow 
 again give them a chance to come out, and this time 
 they will })robably become more venturesome and fly 
 up on the roof of the loft or a near-by building. If so 
 quitely entice them back into the loft by throwing a 
 little hempseed inside the trap, after which they can be 
 allowed to go out and in at will. 
 
 With regard to the type of birds, one of our most 
 successful American breeders sums it up in this way: 
 "My experience has brought me to the conclusion that 
 description availeth but little." I believe the generally 
 accepted standard for Homers is something like this: 
 " large, bright eye, broad, high and well rounded head, 
 very broad flight feathers, deep chest and heavy 
 shoulders, and to this we add, wings well up on the 
 back, feathers clinging close to boi^. Some even test 
 the strength by extending the wing and noting if it be 
 
 24 
 
rapidly and powerfully drawn back, and say that dark 
 colors are better, etc. Nevertheless there are scores 
 of worthless birds that seem to possess all these quali- 
 fications, and again very many good ones lack the re- 
 quirements as outlined, but after all we value the bird 
 not by its appearance but by the way it comes home." 
 
 An English writer says, "The principal points of a 
 Homer are a good, well-developed head, showing plenty 
 of room in it for brains, a bright, wild looking eye of a 
 red color with a black pupil, and a little bit of wattle 
 around it, the breast bone long, the vent bones well up 
 and showing very little prominence, they should be 
 near together and close to the end of the breast bone, 
 the chest must be broad with plent}^ of nmscle at the 
 shoulder, that is, where the wing is joined to the body. 
 A good wing is indispensable, it should have when it is 
 stretched out, ten good, broad primary feathers with 
 stout quills to them, which should all lay well over 
 each other. The longer the primary feathers are the 
 better, as the more wind a pigeon fans, the greater the 
 speed attained; the other or secondary feathei-s in the 
 wing, although not so long should be equally stout and 
 overlaying. The body should be of a medium size 
 and the tail about one inch longer than the wings." 
 
 A Belgian writer of prominence says: "If we take 
 collectively the physiological properties which must be 
 united in the Homing pigeon, they are: a small bod}', 
 close plumage, a strong flight. The greatest length of 
 flight feather must stand in the foremost because it 
 assumes with the same weight of body a greater flight. 
 The close plumage protects the birds from stormy 
 
 25 
 
weather and supports it in its flight" Especially should 
 the birds be caught in a rain storm when on the road. 
 I can remember well one instance when some of my 
 birds came home from the 500 mile station, in a very 
 heavy rain and were hardly wet, enough to speak of, 
 and I found out afterwards that it had rained nearly 
 for 100 miles over the course the birds had come. 
 
 26 
 
MATING AND BREEDING. 
 
 THE mating, or as a Belgium fancier would term it 
 "coupling," and the successful breeding is a 
 science, which can only be acquired by careful 
 observation and patient study of the natural faculties 
 and peculiar habits of our feathered pets, A cross is 
 an absolute necessity, especially when the birds of a 
 loft become too closely related, new blood should under 
 such circumstances, for the betterment of the stock, be 
 infused by the ])urchase of one or more pairs of birds 
 from sterling worth. In such cases let the fancier not 
 stop short of getting the very best strains obtainable, 
 birds of whose performances there cannot be any ques- 
 tion, but whose parents and grand-parents before them 
 have shown unmistakable proof of all that goes to make 
 a true, garaey and speedy voyageur. 
 
 Do such birds and the product of such strains come 
 high, did you say? May I be permitted to ask a single 
 question? "Which would be the cheapest, a timepiece 
 costing 120. and which would lose and gain, according 
 as it might have been adjusted, ten or twenty minutes 
 a week, or the timepiece costing S50. which would not 
 vary two minutes the year around?" I would vastly 
 prefer to give $20. for a good breeder whose offspring 
 three times out of four was represented among the di- 
 ploma winners, than a dollar for one of whose good 
 qualities there were grave doubts. 
 
 The great mistake which scores of fanciers are con- 
 
 27 
 
Dark Checker Homer Cock, Imported, Record 500 miles. 
 Sire of Many Fast Flyers in this Country. 
 
thiually making is, that having collected by jjurchase 
 and gift a loft full of birds, they either permit them to 
 mate at will or pair them up with more regard to choice 
 on blending of certain colors than to the proper and 
 careful selection of the qualities which go to make up 
 a well mated pair of breeders. Again, some fanciers 
 are strong in the belief that the large and powerful built 
 bird is the more likely to stand the work and wear con- 
 sequent upon successive trials in training, mate their 
 birds with the desire to secure large and muscular 
 youngsters. Neither male or female, in their estima- 
 tion, can be too large or powerful looking. Others 
 again take the ground that while the large, powerful 
 looking bird may be the stronger, its avoirdupois and 
 ungainliness handicaps it for speed and quickness, and 
 their preference is foi- a smaller bird, while a third class 
 (among which is the writer) believes, as does the noted 
 Belgium fancier and wriler, Franz Posenaer, who says, 
 "There is one fixed rule to be obtained in mating pig- 
 eons, that is, to maintain the equilibriuni of the physi- 
 cal qualities and even the intellectual qualities, if j^ossi- 
 ble. The male should find its complement, so to 
 speak, in the female, he should find in her the qualities 
 in which he is wanting. For example, if the male is 
 slender and white in body, with very strong and com- 
 pact wings, give him a female with broad back and 
 breast, even though her flight feathers should be a trifle 
 slim; unite a male with a strong head and short and 
 thick beak with a slender female, whose beak is fairly 
 long and thin, and so on, always maintaining the equi- 
 librium, with the view to uniting in one pair all that is 
 desirable." 
 
 29 
 
Color is of minor importance, and can exercise but 
 little influence on the young. The silver or ash for 
 example, one of the handsomest colors we have, is fair- 
 ly detested, and almost banished from some lofts, Avhile 
 the facts will bear me out in the assertion that birds of 
 this color have made some of the most remarkable flights 
 of the past years. Let uh look at the record, it is a silver 
 cock, "Petroleum" who holds a record of 1093 miles 
 which was the longest distance held for sometime in the 
 World, but has since been broken by several other birds. 
 It is a silver cock, "Sergeant Dunne," Avho holds a 
 record from 800 miles (the flight being 884 miles in 
 four days and six hours.) It was an ash cock which 
 was one of three to win first diploma from 200 miles in 
 the old bird races of 1888, in the average speed of 1347 
 yards. It was a silver cock which won second diploma 
 in the 300 mile old bird race, 1889, speed 1300 jards, 
 and it was a silver cock which won third diploma in 
 the 400 mile concourse race, of 1890. While as I ad- 
 mit, I have a weakness for silvers, I would strongly ad- 
 vise against mating two birds of this color together, 
 simply because the offspring would in all likelihood be 
 still paler in color than the parents, possibly a smoky 
 white. The same may be said of blues. Neither would 
 I advise the mating of a blue and silver, because their 
 offspring would in all likelihood be still lighter, or in 
 other words as soon as the color begins to grow weak 
 or pale, it should be crossed with a stronger or darker 
 
 color. 
 
 Many fanciers contend that the dark specks or spots 
 often noticed in the flight feathers of the silver or ash 
 
 30 
 
are indicative of strength and good Homing <|ualities. 
 That these markings are the direct result of crossing 
 with birds of dark colors, such as black or blue checkers, 
 there is but little doubt. I cannot advise too strongly 
 against mating pigeons which are too old together, that 
 is, birds beyond five years of age. If you have an old 
 and valued breeding hen, mate her to a young, vigorous 
 male bird of one or two years, and the result of their 
 union will be strong and liealthy youngsters. An old 
 male bird should in like manner be given a j^oung hen, 
 I strongly condemn the practice or wild fancy many 
 beginners have of purchasing eight, ten or a dozen 
 pairs of youngsters from as many different lofts. Then 
 indiscriminately mating these together without first 
 testing the abilities and qualities of the several strains, 
 at least with a few preliminary flights, up to say forty 
 or fifty miles. By this time the discerning fancier will 
 be able to judge of the good and indifferent, if not the 
 bad points in his flock. What every level-lieaded and 
 would-be successful fancier should strive for is, by care- 
 ful study of his birds, the judicious and well considered 
 coupling of the several types he may possess, to secure 
 for himself and his loft a strain of birds which, by their 
 uniform and continued good work from season to sea- 
 son, will compel the admiration and court ihe generous 
 rivalry of his keenest competitors. Not only this, but 
 that the offsprings of these anions may be of that type 
 of Homer of which its owner can proudly say, "I never 
 lost a single bird from this pair or that." When, by 
 patience and perseverance, we can attain to such a posi- 
 tion in the fancy, and with such a foundation for our 
 
 3i 
 
loft, we have indeed secured a consummation most de- 
 voutly to be wished for. 
 
 The season of mating is of course regulated to a great 
 degree by the condition of the weather and the loft 
 conveniences of the fancier. Most fanciers in the middle 
 states ]);iir tlieir birds the beginning of January, in or- 
 der to hatch Februai'y and early March youngsters, 
 which are considered tlie most likely birds with which 
 to enter tlie young bird races, not only because they 
 will have develope<l by mid-summer to strong, vigorous 
 birds, but being early hatched will have passed the most 
 serious j)eriod of their jnoulting when the time comes, 
 say July 15th to August 15th, for them to be put in the 
 training basket. I speak now, of course, with reference 
 to those fanciers who have the facilities (which every 
 well regulated loft shoukl have) for separating the 
 birds during the fall and winter months. Now in the 
 Southern states birds should be separated earlier, say, 
 in June or at least by tlie 1st of July. For in the South, 
 birds can be mated up by the middle of December so as to 
 get early January liatclied birds. These birds will be 
 tlirough moulting when the time comes for training. 
 But as I have stated before, every well regulated loft 
 should liave the f.icilities to keep the sexes separated, 
 as young birds should not be allowed to breed the first 
 season. I liave found by experience that they will fiy 
 better and also make better breeders the following sea- 
 son. I will admit there are exceptions, but nine times 
 out of ten tliey do better if not allowed to breed the 
 first season. 
 
 Taking it for granted that the birds have been separa- 
 
 32 
 
ted (that is, the males kept in one department and the 
 females in another') for the past three months or more 
 and that the time for mating has arrived, which depends 
 on what climate you live in, never mate up your birds 
 until the cold snaps are past for if you do you are liable 
 to regret it. We now embrace the opportunity to pre- 
 pare for a successful breeding season by devoting a 
 part of a day to the thorough cleaning of the loft. 
 First, having thoroughly scraped the perches and other 
 woodwork of dirt and old lime, and removed all feathers 
 and dirt from the nest boxes, giving the floor a good 
 cleaning of all dirt and filth. After the dust has sub- 
 sided apply a liberal coat of Bordeaux mixture, which 
 is made as follows: One part of blue vitriol to two parts 
 of lime by weight; dissolve blue vitriol in a coarse cloth 
 suspended in enough water for that purpose, using an 
 earthen or wooden vessel. Slack the lime in enough 
 water to make it a little thicker than is used to white- 
 wash; mix the two, making the mixture about as thick 
 as paint, ready for use — if necessary add more water, 
 add to this about a pint of crude carbolic acid to every 
 two gallons of the mixture. After this is put on, your 
 loft will not look white as the lime alone would make it, 
 but it will be a mixed color between white, black and 
 blue, not so clean looking as when you use lime alone 
 but infinitely better prepared to keep your pigeons 
 healthy. In this mixture you have an insecticide, a 
 disinfectant and fungicide, of the highest known effi- 
 ciency. Next in order will be the sprinkling of a lib- 
 eral quantity of bar sand or gravel to the depth of an 
 inch upon the floor. After having your nest boxes 
 
 -33 
 
whitewashed, sprinkle a double handful of fresh pine 
 sawdust in each nesting apartment that you intend to 
 use, next ])ut in your nest pan with some sawdust in it. 
 Have a box of short tobacco stems in your loft, so when 
 your birds are ready to nest they will carry in the stems 
 themselves and build their nests. 
 
 We are now jjrepared to assign the birds to their 
 breeding quarters. If the unions are to be the same as 
 the preceding season little difficulty will be exper- 
 ienced in pairing the birds or rather in re-uniting the 
 pairs. Where changes are desired or new stock added 
 then the mating pen must be called into service. This 
 may be a neatly constructed apartment with a wire 
 front or an ordinary soap box with the lid knocked off 
 and a few laths or strips nailed across the opening. 
 Having placed the male bird in the pen with the female 
 which is intended to become his mate, leave them to- 
 gether for several days, giving them feed and water (a 
 little hemp seed is good at this time) until a union has 
 been formed, after which they can be turned into the 
 breeding loft. 
 
 Sometimes it occurs that two pairs of birds will con- 
 tend for the same nesting box in which case it is well 
 to place one of the pairs within the department and by 
 nailing a strip or lath across the entrance, keep them 
 in it over night and until they seem to be at home in 
 their new quarters and able to hold it against outsiders. 
 A prominent English fanciers says, "Never attempt to 
 pair a bird with another should the owner notice a 
 mutual dislike to one another, for if he succeeds in pair- 
 ing them the chances are that the offspring will be 
 quite worthless." 
 
 34 
 
A noted French writer says, "It oiten occurs tliat a 
 cock will give excellent results when coupled with a 
 particular hen, but inferior ones when coupled with 
 another mate. There should not be any hesitation in 
 such a case. At once give hira a new companion. At 
 the same time these changes should not be too frequent, 
 a bird which is constantly thwarted or disappointed 
 either in its love affairs or in its place of abode, that is 
 its nest, from being a good bird will degenerate into a 
 bad one. It should be a cardinal principle with the 
 fancier to respect the bent and habits of his birds, to 
 inflict upon them the least possible amount of change 
 Our maxim should be the triple one of same loft, same 
 nest, same mate. "When a couple yield good results 
 it should be preserved with the end in view of perpetua- 
 tion and continuity. But very frequently the cock or 
 the hen will distinguish itself in the concourse, and the 
 victory fascinates the fancier; he will have one more 
 triumph, just one more, he enters it for the last time, 
 the bird of his heart loses itself, and with it departs 
 also the source of a member of "might-have-been- 
 glories. " After the pairs have been assigned to their 
 respective quarters it will be well to keep a watchful 
 eye upon their movements as it may happen that a 
 quarrelsome male bird will often attempt to take 
 possession of more than one nesting apartment, in 
 which case a pitched battle will ensue. The hens be- 
 ing disturbed may refuse to return to their allotted 
 apartments, with the result that if about to lay, the eggs 
 may be deposited on the floor, in which case great diffi- 
 
 35 
 
culty may be experienced in getting her to care for 
 them if returned to the nesting box. 
 
 In the case of young hens about to lay it is also 
 necessary to keep a close watch upon them, as it often 
 occurs that their first egg will be laid while resting on 
 their perch or some out-of-the-way place whither they 
 have been driven by their over zealous mate in his en- 
 deavors to drive her to nest. 
 
 As pigeons generally lay during the afternoon hours, 
 in case a hen is observed to be thus hard driven by he 
 lord it is a good plan to shut her up in the nest until 
 the first egg is laid and until the following morning, 
 after which any risk will have been avoided. 
 
 Some fanciers, in order that the incubation of both 
 eggs may take place simultaneously, remove the first laid 
 egg (putting a dummy egg in its place) until the after- 
 noon of the second day or untill the second egg has been 
 laid, when the dummy is removed. I rather do not 
 favor this plan myself, as I think nature has provided 
 pigeons with the same instinct as wild birds, I never re- 
 move any eggs exce])t when I am training, I put them 
 under other birds to keep them from getting chilled. 
 Some fanciers advocate the plan of raising but one 
 youngster to each nest, contending that one strong? 
 healthy, vigorous young bird is worth two of question, 
 able vitality and growth No set rule can be laid 
 down in such a case as this, as there is a vast difference 
 in the dispostion and attention to family duties on the 
 part of the old birds, some being such excellent feeders 
 as to leave no room for doubt as to their ability to bring 
 up in splendid form both young, while on the other 
 
 86 
 
Black Checker Homer Cock, Bred in Philadelphia, Pa. 
 Record 300 Miles in the Day. 
 
hand, some birds are such poor feeders as to be almost 
 woi'thless in rearing their young. I have had birds 
 that would raise three and four young and raise them 
 good and strong, then on the other hand I have had 
 them that would not feed one properly, so no set rule 
 can be laid down in such a case as the above. 
 
 38 
 
FEEDING AND TRAINING. 
 
 THE next important point to be considered in the 
 breeding and training of Homing pigeons, is the 
 proper food, and in this connection I would 
 strongly advise against three things. First. Variety 
 is the sj;ice of life, therefore do not confine 3'our birds 
 to one kind of food. Secondly, Do not feed mill feed 
 that is, cracked corn or broken grain of any kind, nor 
 wheat during training season, simply because they are 
 apt to scour yonr birds and possibly induce diarrhoea, 
 in which case your birds are practically handicapped for 
 that season's flying. Thirdly. As I have remarked be- 
 fore, do not use a feed hopper if you ever expect to get 
 your birds in working condition and fit to compete in 
 long distance races, or in fact, in any distance flights, 
 simply from the fact that, barring the height of the 
 breeding season, Homers should be given only sufficient 
 food for the meal. My method is to have a shallow 
 earthen dish or box into which I put just enough food 
 for a meal for the birds I have to feed, and I prefer (as 
 has been advised in the case of humans) that it is bet- 
 ter for them to got away from the dish feeling a little 
 hungry than overfed. An English authority suggests 
 but one good meal a day for the birds during training 
 season, and that given in the early morning before the 
 birds are let out. Many experienced Belgian fanciers 
 feed their birds by hand, that is they throw them the 
 feed either in a feeding dish or on the ground, two or 
 
 39 
 
three times a day. I advise three meals a day. The 
 first after the birds have been let out and have taken 
 their morning exercise spin, again at noon and evening 
 before sundown if convenient. 
 
 As a general diet nothing is better than Canada peas 
 and small round corn, the older and harder the latter 
 is, the better. An occasional dash of hemp, canary, 
 rape or millet seed is much enjoyed by Homing pig- 
 eons. Hemp seed more particularly should be used 
 with discrimination as it is not only a fat producer, but 
 has a tendency to induce vertigo. I occasionally feed 
 my birds a little buckwheat, as I think the husks keep 
 their digestive organs in a healthy condition. 
 
 Salt is necessary for the health of the birds at all 
 times. Some fanciers use rock salt, others common 
 table salt ])ut in a small box, while many of the older 
 fanciers prefer what is called salt, I prefer table 
 salt. I used to use rock salt until I lost five of my very 
 best birds and since that I swear by table salt. I have 
 also tried salt cat but cannot say I like it. As I have 
 before remarked that Homing pigeons and indeed all 
 pigeons are very fond of salt, and the eagerness with 
 which they seek for it shows the demand their natures 
 make for it, as an indispensable element in the work of 
 digestion. In all well appointed lofts it is found in 
 one or more forms, such as salt codfish nailed to the 
 wall, and of which the birds are very fond, rock salt in 
 great blocks, put upc the floor, common table salt in 
 bags in which a small opening has been made by which 
 the birds can pick at it, and salt cat. A common re- 
 ceipt for salt cat is: Six pounds of salt, fifty pounds of 
 
 40 
 
clay, one-quarter pound of asafcetida, two pounds each 
 of anise, cumin and caraway seeds; mix these ingre- 
 dients well together, and add sufficient water to bake 
 into bricks. There is another mixture composed as 
 follows: Take equal parts of coarse sand and potter's 
 clay, well dried, and old mortar, add to these a quantity 
 of vetches, broken egg shells, broken oyster shells 
 (crushed fine) several handfuls of anise seed, hemp 
 seed and ground salt; mix either thoroughly, dry or 
 with water, place in a partly covered wooden trough or 
 box, easily accessible to the birds. 
 
 The value of this compound may readily be seen. 
 The coarse sand provides the small stones necessary to 
 digestion; the egg and oyster shells furnish the females 
 with the calcareous or limey matter needed in the 
 formation of the egg and its shell, and the seeds and 
 salt are the condiments the pigeon seeks with such 
 avidity. 
 
 Returning to the question of proper feeding, and 
 particularly during the season of breeding, an eminent 
 writer says, "Beginning with about the first of March, 
 the pigeon should be given all it will eat, because the 
 laying, hatching and rearing of the young begins about 
 this time. While an abundance of food should be 
 given, care should be taken that none is wasted. With 
 a little experience the amount necessary can be easily 
 determined. They should be fed at least twice a day, 
 three times is better. To have healthy young, the first 
 feed must be early, say between five and six o'clock 
 in the morning. At this time the crops of the young 
 are empty. If the parents can find nothing at hand 
 wherewith to fill them they must go abroad to seek it, 
 
 41 
 
and the young suffer from hunger and cold. It is diffi- 
 cult to make up for the loss occasioned by late feeding. 
 The second feed should be between noon and two 
 o'clock, third at twilight. From the first of August to 
 the last of October, great care must be taken to provide 
 not only a sufficiency of food, but that it shall be of 
 the highest quality, this to pass the pigeon safely and 
 well through the critical period of moult. After this, 
 both quantity and quality must be restricted to the 
 actual need to keep the bird in condition. Experiment- 
 ing fanciers estimate the demand of a pigeon, under 
 ordinary circumstances, to be a tenth of a pound daily, 
 lessening the quantity in warm weather and increasing 
 it in cold. Unless great care is taken, the increase 
 will cause the female to commence lajang. The eggs 
 in such case should be taken away. If she is allowed 
 to hatch and raise young at this time, when the breed- 
 ing season arrives, she will have become exhausted and 
 be unfit to rear healthy young. As to the males, they 
 will besjin mating together if allowed to do so^" 
 
 42 
 
CONDITIONING AND RACING. 
 
 NOW we come to the question, wliat is meant by 
 conditioning a bird? Simply getting it into 
 fit condition of body and feather for the work 
 which it is expected to perform. And how best may 
 this be done? I will try and explain so my readers will 
 understand my method of conditioning, which is simj^le 
 and within reach of all fanciers. There are other 
 ways, but it makes a large hole in one's pocket book. 
 Taking it for granted that the month of January has 
 arrived and that the birds have started to breed, we 
 realize that we have some two months or more yet be- 
 fore the training season commences in which to select, 
 and get into proper condition, the birds we contem- 
 plate putting upon the road in the coming old bird sea- 
 son. "But, says the inexperienced fancier or novice, 
 "what is the use of all this? My birds are all from the 
 best blood obtainable, and from the lofts of the most 
 prominent fanciers in the country. Look at them! 
 Did you ever see a finer lot? Why I can pick out ten 
 or twenty from among them which I feel sure can do 
 their four hundred, possibly four hundred fifty, miles 
 in the day and I don't know but that there is one or 
 more five-hundred-raile-one-day birds in the lot." 
 Poor fellow, how keen will be his disappointment be- 
 fore the dog days have come and gone, for, as I pick 
 up one and then another of what are no doubt blooded 
 stock and apparently in good condition, I realize how 
 
 43 
 
Blue Checker Homer Hen, No Record but Bred from 500 Mile Parents. 
 A Grand Stock Hen and Winner at maay Shows. 
 
sadly out of condition they are, for instead of bone and 
 muscles, feathers like steel quills, and whose nervous, 
 vigorous action is almost beyond control, I find the 
 majority of the birds large in frame, to be sure, but 
 soft and flabby and not much else but fat and feathers; 
 and could much else be expected? Since the birds 
 have not only been permitted to breed all Winter, with 
 more than enough food to eat, but have hardly once a 
 week been given an hour's exercise outside their loft, 
 yet these birds are expected to fly upwards of two thou- 
 sand miles within the next four months, and do their 
 five hundred miles in the day. What an absurdity, and 
 contrary not only to all rules of physical culture, but of 
 common sense as well. Did Sullivan or Corbett ever 
 enter the ring without first being subjected to a course 
 of systematic preparatory training and conditioning? 
 Were Star Pointer, Goldsmith's Maid, Jay-Eye-See and 
 other noted racers ever put upon the track without first 
 being groomed and handled by the most experienced 
 of jockeys? And so I might refer, with equal emphasis, 
 to dogs, game chickens and the like. I care not 
 whether it be man, beast or bird, preparatory training, 
 proper handling, and conditioning are the essential 
 requisites, if success is to be looked for, if victory is to 
 be gained. 
 
 "Blood will tell," but only when backed by a sound 
 body and vigorous constitution. The moral and phy- 
 sical condition of your birds will be either good or bad 
 according to the care and attention which you have 
 given them during the Winter and early Spring. See 
 then that your birds have dry and not overcrowded 
 
 45 
 
quarters (a cold loft being preferable to one heated 
 artificially.) See that while they have a sufficiency of 
 the best food, and a vaiiety, they are not overfed. See 
 that your bii'ds are not weakened by taxing them too 
 heavily in the early breeding season. 
 
 Homing pigeons are very prolific and lay eight or 
 ten times a year. This production weakens them 
 greatly, the male as well as the female. This is not 
 the aim of the true fancier, so the proper way is to 
 limit the young to be raised to the number necessary to 
 make good the losses in racing and training. Many 
 Belgium and English fanciers allow their birds to raise 
 the first pair only, then the second pair they have, one 
 is either killed or else placed under another .pair, whose 
 eggs have failed to hatch. The reason for this is that 
 by the time the second pair are hatched the old ones 
 have to be put in training, and they contend, and 
 rightly, that it weakens them too much to feed two 
 squeakers while in training. Again, see that your birds 
 get plenty of outdoor exercise, both in good and bad 
 weather. I know that there are those who think it 
 wisest to give their birds exercise only when the weather 
 is clear and calm. My experience has proven that they 
 should have their exercise in all weather, as they will 
 make hardier birds, and without exception do the best 
 work when put upon the road. 
 
 Now, the first of March having arrived, and with it 
 our stock of patience exhausted in our eagerness to be- 
 gin active work, we set about to select the birds we in- 
 tend putting upon the road. Those few fanciers who, 
 with large lofts and full purses, contemplate training 
 on an extensive scale, select for one basket the cock 
 
 46 
 
birds, and for another the hens, and ship them to the 
 training stations on alternate days or weeks. In this 
 way the breeding is not interfered with. The eggs or 
 young are never left without one or the other of the 
 old birds. In sending a number of pigeons off in a 
 training basket, even to short distances, five, or even 
 six inches square should be allowed for each bird. Do 
 not under any consideration overcrowd them as they 
 are liable to become cramped, and thus be handicapped 
 at the start, and many a good bird has been lost just 
 this way. 
 
 The training baskets are made in many shapes and 
 sizes. The best I have found for shape and size for 
 private use is an oblong basket made of wicker woi-k, 
 the bottom of stout rattan, and in size sufficiently large 
 enough to accommodate the number of birds you wish 
 to carry, the lid should cover the whole of the basket 
 in order that every bird may be liberated at one time. 
 A small lid should also be made within the large one 
 for convenience in removing a single bird if so desired 
 and for putting them in. 
 
 It is very important that the birds should be handled 
 carefully, in their presence avoid making any quick 
 motions which would frighten them. In catching a 
 bird, grasp him firmly (but not so closely as to cause 
 him pain) around the lower part of the body, clasping 
 together his wings, tail and legs. In this position he 
 is utterly powerless, and can be held securely without 
 injury or even discomfort. 
 
 A great many fanciers make the mistake of neglect- 
 ing their feathered pets in the early stages of life, 
 
 47 
 
which 18 the cause of their failure to reach the top rings 
 of the ladder of success in the ranks of the pigeon world. 
 In the first stages of life care must be taken that the 
 bird grows up to be strong in order to be a racer, that 
 is, you must start in their breeding, for if speed is not 
 bred into a bird, you cannot get any out of him. If 
 speed is bred into a brid, then by careful handling you 
 can develop the same to a high degree of perfection, 
 and eventually he becomes a racer, if not injured or 
 overworked when a youngster. You may ask what do 
 I mean by overworked? Do not make an old bird of 
 him before he really becomes a youngster, that is, do 
 not fly him four, five and six hundred miles. Did you 
 ever hear of a bird which as a youngster flew a long 
 distance, that ever did any remarkably fast flying as an 
 old bird? You have broken his back. Birds are not 
 always of the same physical nature, therefore I say 
 make a careful study of the birds so that when the 
 tmie comes you know what is wanted to bring them to 
 a certain condition so as to obtain the best results. 
 
 You cannot by looking at a Homer, tell what will 
 better his condition for all purposes. No general rule 
 can be applied. It can only be done by looking after 
 the minor details, and trying different methods, and 
 then to know when you have struck the one that is 
 wanted, and by following the same you will attain the 
 success you are seeking. To build up a good and well 
 working loft of Homers, you must keep at them every 
 day in the year. Some fanciers think that because the 
 birds do not fly any races during the Winter they do 
 not need to be careful with them until the training and 
 
 48 
 
breeding season comes, and they let the birds go as 
 they jjlease without treatment, and getting into bad 
 habits. One of the greatest mistakes. To gain success? 
 365 days of attention is not too much. Look after 
 them during the Winter as well as during the racing 
 season, and your loft will carry off the honors as mine 
 has done, and all well earned. 
 
 To prepare for training, as stated above, you must 
 give your whole attention to minor details. When 
 Spring comes you must give your birds a physic, to 
 cleanse their system, tlien give them a tonic to aid di- 
 gestion and your birds will eat. On warm and pleas- 
 ant days let your birds cleanse themselves externally by 
 giving them bathing water. The birds must be exer- 
 cised three times daily, early morning, at noon and in 
 the afternoon late. The hours for exercising must be 
 kept up about the same time every day. After a time 
 the birds will get used to tliis. The training must be 
 done in a systematic manner, and be continued through- 
 out the racing season. 
 
 How to keep them Hying is a question which depends 
 upon tlie fancier and the position of his loft. I have 
 heard of some who use a bean-shooter, others a shrill 
 whistle, and still others stones and potatoes, but I place 
 a flag on a long ])ole on top of my loft to keep them up, 
 and watch the time they are supposed to fly. When 
 the time is up I remove the flag and allow them to en- 
 ter the loft. This must be continued daily until they 
 become accustomed to fly a certain length of time, and 
 until the races take place, when you must use your own 
 judgment as to the length of time, by handling them 
 
 49 
 
and feeling if their muscles are hard from the exercis- 
 ing, soft or worn down. The birds can just as easily 
 be overtrained as a person by overtaxing their muscles. 
 But overtraining is worse than not being trained at all, 
 it does more harm to the birds than good. When you 
 notice that the muscles of your birds are getting too 
 hard, you must alleviate the exercising. Here is where 
 the skill of the fancier comes into play. How to tell 
 when your birds are in condition, that is, trained pro- 
 perly. In handling, when you pick up your birds and 
 the flesh is solid, not flabby, the quills of the feathers 
 snap like steel springs, the breast bone showing just a 
 trifle from underneath the flesh, then they are coming 
 around O. K. 
 
 While out exercising; the signs to tell if the birds are 
 strong and in the best of condition, Avhich to my knowl- 
 edge never failed as yet, are as follows: Watch and you 
 will see them going quite a distance from the loft 
 (out of sight) and returning quickly they set their 
 wings as if just returning from a journey, sweep over 
 the loft and going off again. Repeating tl'.e same over 
 and over again during the whole time you are exercis- 
 ing them. After each exercising hour force them to 
 enter the loft and I'emain there until the next exercis- 
 ing time comes. Never allow them to remain lounging 
 around outside on the roof of the loft or adjoining 
 houses, as it will cause them to fall into very bad habits, 
 as staying out on returning from a race, thereby losing 
 good time. Also they may pick up and eat some things 
 you know nothing about, and you will have no control 
 of their conditioning, as you ought to know just what 
 
 50 
 
the birds eat and liow it will effect their system, other- 
 wise give up all hopes of being among the leading fan- 
 ciers. Some of our olden fanciers think and say this is 
 not necessary, but compare their records with mine, 
 and see if they have won as many honors in as short a 
 space of time and with the competition as I have. 
 
 Begin to train your birds about the first or middle of 
 March, a little at a time at first, increasing it steadilv, 
 about five minutes every day until you have them fl^an^i- 
 an hour at each exercising, morning, noon and night. 
 Toss them from the four points of the compass around 
 the city. Liberate each bird separately, so that he 
 must depend upon his own knowledge to arrive at his 
 loft, and not follow the flock. After this ordeal has 
 been gone through, give them a jump of five miles over 
 the route you intend to fly from, then ten, twenty? 
 thirty, fifty, seventy-five and one hundred mile stations 
 respectively. Between each station allow them to rest 
 a day or two until you get to the one hundred mile 
 station, then allow them to rest one week. After the 
 seventy-five mile -station the birds should be shipped to 
 the liberating station the night before to give them a 
 chance to I'est in the basket from the jolting in the 
 train. It is far better to do this than to rush them down 
 to the liberating station, the basket thrown out, opened, 
 and the poor birds, shaken from the journey, are tossed. 
 Then the fancier will say to his neighbor, "I sent so 
 many birds to such a station and not one has shown up, 
 I cannot account for this. It is very strange they never 
 did it before." There it is again, inex2:)erienced, blunder- 
 ing fancier. The birds are frightened, they haven't had 
 
 51 
 
time to collect themselves. When tlic basket is opened 
 the}' go up like a shot, start off in the wrong direction 
 ten chances to one, and by the time they know they are 
 wrong they might be many miles the other side of the 
 liberating station. This is where your good Ijirds go? 
 and this is the way you can account for the birds being 
 found many miles out of their course. 
 
 In regard to breeding during the flying season my 
 experience has been as folio a^s: Never have your racing 
 team feeding youngsters during their training, as it will 
 reduce their strength, and the youngsters will not come 
 up as they ought to, for they will not receive the proper 
 care wiien the old birds are absent at a liberating station. 
 If not properly cared for the growth of the youngsters 
 is bound to receive a set-back. Never try to do too 
 much at once; one mu?«t be stopped, either flying or 
 breeding, therefore you must have one lot of birds for 
 breeding and another for flying to have success. Some 
 fanciers have a great deal of trouble in flying hens. In 
 racing never ship a hen that is about to lay, for if she is 
 in the basket she becomes very weak and cannot defend 
 herself very I'eadily, and the result is the other birds 
 almost kill her, and "w^hen liberated ten chances to one 
 you will lose her. 
 
 The best time to fly a hen is three days after laying 
 her eggs. She is then in the best of condition, and as 
 the thought of her eggs is uppermost in her mind, she 
 will make better time. If she is about to lay eggs keep 
 her home from that station and jump her to the next, 
 she will do better. A cock bird is in the best of condi- 
 tion for flying when he is driving his hen. As soon as 
 
 52 
 
Blue Checker Homer Cock, Bred in this Country. 
 Record SOO Miles. A Grand Stock Bird. 
 
he is liberated he will strive to get home and drive the 
 hen again, and he will generally make good time and 
 speed. 
 
 The Homing pigeon is endowed with remarkable 
 power and precision of sight, upon which it lelies main- 
 ly in its Homing efforts. Therefore clear weather 
 should always be selected for their flights, especially so 
 ,if it is desired to get rapid time from them. Before 
 putting your birds in the basket for a fly always examine 
 their* wings to see that they are perfect, especially 
 with young birds; examine their feet also to see that 
 they are clean and free from any hinderance to their 
 work. As I have remarked, the general rule in be- 
 ginning the training of pigeons is to loose them a short 
 distance from home, from points North, South, East 
 and West. This is to render them familiar with the 
 neighborhood of their homes. Then to begin in the 
 direction from which they are to be loosed finally. 
 
 In young birds the training means the development 
 of the faculties, strengthening of the muscles, education 
 of the sight, cultivation of memory and intelligence, 
 bringing to the highest degree all the qualities the bird 
 may possess. With the old birds that have been trained 
 in previous seasons, this has been done, and the new 
 training is to awaken faculties that are dormant from 
 disuse. These may be trained gently at first, then 
 gradually given severer tasks, until great feats are 
 accomplished or the bird lost, according to the quality 
 of the bird and the luck attending it. 
 
 54 
 
TRAPPING AND TIMING. 
 
 I SHALL try to make plain (to the amateur in 
 particular) the timing of birds on their return from 
 a race. Since we have the timing machine, it is a 
 pleasure to race birds, as every one can time his own 
 birds, and there is no worrying about the timer not 
 showing up, and it is a point of advantage over the old 
 way of timing birds. But, bear in mind, you must have 
 your loft so arrang'^d that you will not lose any time in 
 catching your bird. When he arrives home, you should 
 have a cage or trap on the outside, or on the inside of 
 your loft, so when the bird enters the trap you can 
 catch him without having to chase all over the loft. 
 Let me say right here, lest I forget it, that no bird is 
 thoroughly trained which, when he arrives at home, re- 
 mains on a neighboring roof or on the surroundings of 
 its own loft for five or ten, or even for two or three 
 minutes, thus losing as much valuable tune as if lost at 
 the start. What would you say of a bird which in- 
 variably took five, ten or fifteen minutes to get away 
 from the liberating stations? And yet while not quite 
 so faulty, it is nevertheless as important in a race that 
 the bird at once, on its arrival at home, pass the bob- 
 wires into its loft. You cannot time your bird until it 
 enters the trap or loft, so you can take the countermark 
 and deposit it in the timing machine and start it agoing. 
 In the measurement of distances the air-line, or direct 
 
 55 
 
mfiasurement from point of liberation to home is taken, 
 and the average speed is computed by multiplying this 
 air-line distance flown, by 1760 (yards in a mile) thus 
 reducing the distance to yards, and then dividing th(^ 
 sum thus obtained by the time consumed in making the 
 flight; thus, if the distance flown was 100 miles, and tlie 
 time out 125 minutes, we would have 176,000 to be di- 
 vided by 125 and the result would give an average 
 speed of 1408 yards per minute for the journey. 
 
 66 
 
LIBERATING. 
 
 I NOW shall lay considerable stress upon the im- 
 portance of securing reliable and intelligent per- 
 sons to act as liberators for your birds. It is really 
 astonishing what lack of common sen*e, mucli less judg- 
 ment, IS displayed in this respect. Many fanciers (and 
 not all amateurs either) after paying long prices for 
 good stock, carefully Mdntering them, getting them in 
 prime condition for the season's work, giving them a 
 few preliminary tosses around home, put them in a train- 
 ing basket (often of insufficient size, and with no tins 
 for water or feed in case the birds aie held over for a 
 day or more on account of bad weather) and ship the 
 birds to a certain liberating station, to be tossed 
 by the employees of the railroad. The employees 
 are inexperienced, and without so much as a postal 
 card bearing instructions; liberates the birds on the 
 arrival of the train, and right in the face of an approach- 
 ing storm. Not only this, but, in one instance of which 
 I was advised, a basket of birds were liberated at the 
 200 mile station, at 6 P. M. 
 
 The method I would advise to insuie against any 
 such disastrous mishaps as the above are as follows: 
 Having selected the route and stations we desire tc 
 train from, we make a visit to our express office and se- 
 cure from the agent the names of the station or baggage 
 agents at the several points intended to be flown from. 
 Two or three days before shipment I mail the following 
 
 67 
 
request to the agent, enclosing an addressed j^ostal card 
 for reply. 
 
 "Mr , Agent at , 
 
 I will forward you by express Thursday evening, 
 
 May , a basket of Homing pigeons for liberation 
 
 at your station. Will you kindly liberate the birds on 
 Friday morning, mark the exact time of start on tag, 
 and return empty basket to address given? If the 
 weather is n<it clear please hold until first fair morning 
 and liberate at A. M." 
 
 If a natisfactory reply is received on the postal, the 
 birds are shipped on the date mentioned, and we are 
 assured not only of their care, but of an intelligent and 
 favorable start. 
 
 I have before me a slip containing advice to liberators^ 
 which is mailed by tlie Race Secretary of the district, 
 with other instructions, to every Association liberator 
 which I feel will bear a reproduction here. 
 
 Advice To Liperators. 
 
 On arrival of the birds see to it at once that the bas- 
 ket or baskets containing the birds are transferred to 
 safe quarters, under cover, })rotected from inclement 
 weather and out of ihe reach of dogs and cats. In the 
 absence of more explicit instructions the folhv»ving may 
 be followed: 
 
 1. For short distances, say under 100 miles, partic- 
 ularly if the birds are to be loosed the morning they 
 arrive, no food will be necessary, see, Itoicever^ that the 
 birds h,ave ■plentij of fresh water. 
 
 2. If the birds arrive in the afternoon, to be liberated 
 
 58 
 
the following morning, give them plenty of food and 
 fill the drinking tins with fresh water; place the basket 
 for the night where the birds may get the first rays ot 
 the morning light in order that they may drink. Can- 
 ada peas or small corn is the proper food (fanciers wJl 
 see to it that sufficient feed is sent with the birds, tied 
 in a small canvas bag on top of the baskets, also that 
 suitable water tins accompany p.ach basket.) 
 
 3. Never loose a bird before sunrise, nor when 
 cloudy or threatening rain, nor in high Avinds, unless 
 specially instructed to do so — have everytliing in readi- 
 ness however, for as early a start as may be required 
 after the first peep of day. 
 
 4. Take notice of the exact standard time the birds 
 leave the basket, also the direction of wind and state of 
 weather. 
 
 5. Immediately^ after the starting of the birds, send 
 aC. O. D. telegram to the person previously agreed 
 upon to receive it, as follows: 
 
 Mr. _, . ^ ., 
 
 weather ^. Signed . 
 
 6. As soon as })ossible after loosing the birds, the 
 liberator will send by mail, an exact copy of the tele- 
 gram, together with the number of birds liberated, and 
 any other information he may desire to give. 
 To 
 
 Race Secretary. 
 
 59 
 
CARE UPON RETURNING. 
 
 THE importance of caring for birds on their return 
 home from a flight should be considered. When 
 a cock has been out even one night, then per- 
 haps another bird has taken his nest, and in his ex- 
 hausted state he has to fight a hard battle in order to 
 recover his accustomed place in the loft I well re- 
 member an incident of this kind coming under my own 
 observation. A gamey and reliable bird had failed to 
 return from a 300 mile station to which he had been 
 sent in excellent condition. I was mystified and still 
 more so when after several days he did not turn up to 
 claim his old perch and nest. On going to the loft at 
 the end of the week I was surprised to see what appeared 
 to be the form of my long expected 300 miler; but oh! 
 how changed the once noble and intelligent looking 
 head, now swollen to almost double its former size, and 
 its color stained with blood and dirt. On closer in- 
 spection I found another sturdy fellow who had taken 
 possession of the vacant nest, in exactly the same con- 
 dition, which at once explained the swollen head; bnt 
 what about the blood? On examination I found my un- 
 fortunate and belated traveller had been shot through 
 the fleshy part of the wing, and though fast healing, 
 not only the wing feathers but those on the body were 
 literally pasted together in places, and my great wonder 
 was how the poor fellow had managed to get home at 
 all, and then to think of the reception that awaited him. 
 
 60 
 
The birds of a flock come home scattered. A few 
 make good time and receive applause, others are 
 wounded or their feathers cut with shot; these are pitied 
 and poulticed. Some do not come at all; these if men- 
 tioned at all are done with a shrug of the shoulders. "A 
 bird which cannot make that distance in a day I am 
 well rid of," is a common remark. Only a few will 
 think of giving the benefit a doubt, thinking of the 
 dangers to which by the hawk and gun they were ex- 
 posed. If a bird has been away for a number of days 
 he should be carefully attended to for a day or so, given 
 plenty of good and well liked food and quiet. He will 
 then all the sooner be ready for resuming the work 
 expected of him. In fact, after each race every bird 
 participating should be carefully scanned to note any 
 possible weakness or defect, so that the same may be 
 promptly remedied and the bird be in fit and bang-up 
 condition, if you please, for the next flight. 
 
 61 
 
NOTABLE RECORDS, 
 
 Now I will take up and review briefly some of the 
 most notable as well as foremost records for 
 speed and distances niade by our American fan- 
 ciers. Let us glance at some of the most notable records 
 and I will begin with the first 500 mile flight, made in 
 June 1879, by the Gri>t birds. Gladiator, Napoleon and 
 Hurricane, from Dayton, Ohio to Philadelphia, Pa. 
 Start, June 21 at 7.05, the flrst two arriving at 4.15 
 P. M. next day. The bcst American record, however, 
 for this year was awarded to Mr. J. R. Husson's Boss 
 for its flight from Columbus, Ohio to New York, 500 
 miles, in about three hours less than the Grist birds, 
 while to Mr. Waefelaer's Francisco was given credit 
 for the best one-day performance during the year, from 
 Steubenville, O. to Ploboken, N. J., 343 miles, in eight 
 hours and eighteen minutes. 
 
 The most notable record for 1880 was the (at that 
 time) remarkable flight of Garfield, bred by Mr. D. S. 
 Newhall of Philadelphia, and trained by Mr. Wm. Ver- 
 rinder, Jr., Jersey City, N. J. from Indianapolis, Ind., 
 630 miles aii-line. Liberated 6. A. M., September 5th 
 and arrived 7.20 A. M., September 26th. The next dis- 
 tance record of note was that made in 1884 by Gladiator 
 and Blair Athol, owned by Samuel Hunt, Fall River, 
 Mass., in a journey from Jonesboro, Tenn., 715 miles, 
 in twenty-nine days. Later we have the record of A. P. 
 
 62 
 
Baldwin's Ever Ready and Grace Ida, and of Wra. 
 Bennert,s Little Bunnell, all from Matoon, 111. to 
 Newark, N. J., 750 miles, the first named making the 
 journt^y in seven days, and the last two in ten days. 
 
 In 1885 the record was still farther advanced by the 
 flight of Red Whizzer, owned by R. L. Hayes, Phila- 
 delphia, from Pensacola, Florida, 935 miles in eleven 
 days. The same year we have the record of 1019 miles 
 made by the Arnouxhen, flown by A. P. Baldwin, from 
 Pensacola, Florida to Newark, N. J., time out twentjf- 
 six days. In the following month September 1885, the 
 pigeon world was startled by the remarkable record of 
 the two birds, Alabama and Montgomer}', owned by 
 Samuel Hunt of Fall River, Mass.; these two birds mak- 
 ing the journey from Montgomery, Ala., 1040 miles, air- 
 line; the former in twenty days, and the latter in thirty- 
 eight days. It was in 1890 that the phenomenal recoi-d 
 of Petroleum, owned by Geo. H. Bowerman, Newark, 
 N. .1., and Waxem, the property of W. B, Garrabrandts, 
 of the same city, was made from Mississippi City, Miss., 
 1093 miles; the time out of Petroleum being twenty- 
 seven days, that of Waxem twenty-nine days. 
 
 1891 witnessed a still greater break i^n the long dis- 
 tance record by the birds Darby and Joseph, owned by 
 Fred Bowers of Fall River, Mass., who are reported to 
 have covered the distance from Pensacola, Fla., to Fall 
 River, Mass. 1182 miles, in fifteen days eight hours and 
 sixteen one-half days respectively. This last record 
 was made under the management of Mrs. E. S. Starr. 
 
 Let us now glance at the speed record, first we take 
 the 100 mile distance, which is held by Mr. Jacob Eberle 
 
 G:3 
 
for a flight made from Odeutown, Md., and by two 
 birds with an average speed of 1510.08 yards although T 
 believe this speed has since been beaten. From 200 
 miles I find the flight of Little May from Washington, 
 p. C, 205 miles, speed 1511 yards. May 1884. From 
 800 miles, I find the flight of Thos. Bowerman's Albright 
 from Stexibenville, O., to Newark, N. J. 333 miles, speed 
 1464 yards. I next come to the 400 mile record, and I 
 find that the top figures from this distance are held by 
 ,W. B. Garrabi-andt's Dandy Jim in a flight from 
 Rocky Mount, Va., to Newark, N. J., 402 miles, June 
 10th, 1889 with an average speed of 1431 9-10 yards. 
 
 Now, let us look at the much coveted 500 mile one- 
 day record, the fond aspiration of many an enthusiastic 
 fancier. The first attempt to cover this distance from 
 sunrise to sunset was made in 1878 without success; 
 again in 1879 and in each successive year. It was not, 
 however, until June 13, 1885 that this apparently al- 
 most impossible feat was accomplished, and to Ned 
 Damon, owned by T. F. Goldman of Brooklyn, N. Y. 
 belongs the honor of being the first one-day 500 mile 
 bird in America. The record reads: Start at 5.24 from 
 Abingdon, Va., 508 miles air-line, arrived 7.49 P. M., 
 average speed, 1033 5-8 yards. 
 
 The following year, June 26, 1886, this flight was 
 eclipsed by the birds Queen and McGrew, owned by 
 George Waitt of Keyi)ort, N. J., in a journey from 
 Springfield, O.; 502 miles. The birds were liberated at 
 4.22 A. M. and arrived at 5.30 P. M., speed 1121 yards. 
 The year 1887 saw the record again broken, and by two 
 birds, while two others succeeded in beating the record 
 of Ned Damon. I refer to the grand flight of Jocko; 
 
 64 
 
Pair Red Checker Homers, Bred in Halden, flcss. 
 Both have 500 mile Records. 
 
owned by Thos. Brooks, Black Jim, of P. F. Bolay 
 Alexander the Great, owned by A. Kinzel, and Little 
 Wonder of Chas. H. Myers, fi'ora Spartenburg, S. C. to 
 German town, Pa., 510 miles. The start was at 5.31 
 A. M. July 2; returns Joeko at 6.31 1-2, speed 1151 3-4 
 yards; Black Jim at 6.32 3-4, speed 1150 yards; Alex- 
 ander at 6.59 3-4, speed 1112 yards; Little Wonder at 
 7.02 1 4, speed 1108 yards. This flight was again 
 exclipsed by Hanover, owned by Joseph Iverson of 
 Brooklyn, N. Y., on June 23, 1889 from Newton, N. C 
 distance 517 miles to Brooklyn, N. Y. with a speed of 
 1217 6-7 yards. 
 
 The year 1890 failed to score a one-day flight from 
 the 500 mile station, but 18iil fully compensated for the 
 loss in the magnificent and unprecedented performance 
 of the birds of the Empire City Flying Club of New 
 York and vicinity, in tlieir flight from Statesville, N. C, 
 500 miles air-line in which no less than fourteen birds 
 covered the distance before sunset of the day of start. 
 The winner of first Homer Saxon G, owned by T. F. 
 Goldman, Brooklyn, N. Y. making 506 miles in ten 
 hours and thirty-four minutes or in the average speed 
 of 1405.09 yards per minute; W. B. Garrabrants, 
 winning second honors, time out ten hours and fifty-two 
 minutes. In 1892 the distance was again covered in a 
 day, by birds owned by Messrs. Goodby, Bouttelle, Galla- 
 gan and lladen, from Franklin, Va., to Providence, R. I, 
 538 miles in about thirteen hours. June 31st, the same 
 yeai', St. Lawrence Boy, owned by Samuel Wallace of 
 Washington, D. C, covered the distance of 510 1-2 
 miles, in the a-verage speed of 1024 yards per minute; 
 
on Inly 8tb, the same year, we record the very commend- 
 able flight of Moonlight, owned by G. R Callahan, West 
 Philadelphia, from Spartenburg, S. C, 502 miles, with 
 an average speed of 1009 yards per minute. 
 
 For five years in succession the 500 mile, one day 
 record has been recorded, from 1892 to 1S9B inclusive^ 
 The year of '96 eclipses all previous years. Over fifty 
 birds covering the distance in the day. The greatest 
 journey ever accomplished was made in 1896, July 4th 
 by birds owned by James McGauhey and A. McGinn; 
 from Gainesville, Ga. to Philadelphia, 614 miles air- 
 line in less than fourteen houi-s; and every year up to 
 the present day 500 mile one-day records have been 
 recorded. 
 
 67 
 
DISEASES. 
 
 TO be able to cure beasts and birds of their diseases 
 when nature is powerless to assert her rights, is 
 a duty more humane than the tending of human 
 beings. Creatures cannot express their feelings, but 
 nature, by various ways, points out to the student the 
 abnormal or diseased ])arts of the creature's body. By 
 careful study and observation the student traces from 
 nature's rude guide the foundation of the trouble, and 
 with a brief knowledge of the anatomy of the subject 
 and a small insight in the use of medicine and simple 
 remedies, be able to check, and generally cure, the 
 disease. To be successful in tliis, one must be thor- 
 oughly interested and take delight in watching the 
 result of experiments, carefully noting every advantage 
 gained or lost. I have given the subject of diseases in 
 homing pigeons very careful research, and have collected 
 from my own experience, and the experience of others, 
 quite a mass of matter on the siibject. For the benefit 
 of fanciers not versed m this very important branch ot 
 the rearing and handling of birds, I propose to illustrate 
 my modes of doctoring. 
 
 Every formula and mode of application has been fully 
 tested and found, under favorable circumstances, to 
 create a positive cure. So, with a feeling of absolute' 
 confidence, the following can be administered. 
 MOULTING. 
 
 During the shedding season, the pin feathers are very 
 
sore, we'll wait until the quill hardens, and I trust that 
 even then it may not be necessary to pull any crooked 
 feathers. It' your birds are stopped during their shed- 
 ding, take them away from theii family duties and pull 
 out all the old feathers of the tail, which procedure will 
 generally start them moulting again. During hot 
 weather, birds are frequently troubled with sores of a 
 cheesy appearance. To prevent this, feed on good 
 wheat and peas, (corn being too heating) cleanse the 
 sores and apply pulverized alum. 
 
 If troubled with vermin in your loft take away all 
 your birds; clean out everything, fumigate with sulphur 
 and whitewash with good lime and other ingredients 
 given before. Corns, when not too large or danger- 
 ously located, are best removed by cutting across the 
 top with a sharp knife, squeezing out and HUing the 
 cavity with salt or alum. 
 
 WING DISEASE. 
 
 This affects three parts of the wing: the bastard pin- 
 ion, the main joint and the main arm. There are five 
 ways of contracting the disease: first, overfeeding with- 
 out suflicient exercise; second, by severe cold ; third, 
 by inheritance; fourth, by over-exertion, and fifth, by 
 a severe blow. The most simple to cure is that which 
 arises from overfeeding without suflicient exercise. The 
 affected wing becomes stiff and heavy, and droops be- 
 low the tail; the bird is greatly annoyed by constantly 
 lifting the mrxg back in its proper place; considerable 
 pain is evinced by the trembling of the member and the 
 constant biting of the joint by the patient. On exam- 
 ination, the main arm will be found feverish, with a 
 
slight swelling of the joint. The causes of this is the 
 swelling of the muscles of the wing, and the membei* 
 becomes "muscle-bound." This promotes congestion of 
 the blood vessels, which produces acute rheumatism. 
 The wing must be relieved of its weight, and the blood 
 vessels restored to a healthy condition by the work of 
 making new tissue and new feathers. The entire flight 
 and primaries must be reinoved. They will give very 
 little resistance to a sharp pull, and the slight pain pro- 
 duced will be soothing to the bird as it acts as a 
 counter-irritant. The muscles thus relaxed must be 
 treated with an application to drive out the rheumatic 
 disorder. If the disease be slight, an ordinary applica- 
 tion of tincture of iodine will be found successful. But 
 if the swelling increases, a thorough dressing of com- 
 pound iodine ointment will be found a very rigid 
 remedy. If this fails, and the bird still evinces great 
 pain, the following dressing must be applied: boiled oil 
 two parts, turpentine one part, copperas p^ece size of a 
 cherry; making when completed, about one gill of mix- 
 ture. Apply this thoroughly twice daily to the wing, 
 and in most cases a cure will be effected within twenty- 
 four hours. No change of food is necessary. "Wing 
 disease from exhaustion" arises from a bird having 
 flown bej^ond its endurance, and is really a permanent 
 stroke of paralysis. This is incurable. The preventive 
 is not to overtax your birds on the road. "Wing dis- 
 ease from a blow" affects the part bruised. It is not 
 necessary to pluck the wing, but simply to give the 
 part an application of iodine. This will reduce the 
 bruised wing to its normal condition. 
 
 70 
 
TUMORS. 
 
 These are small growths or swellings probably due 
 to some impurity of the blood or system, or the result 
 of an injury. They may appear on any part of the 
 body. It is sometimes seen under the eye, and fre- 
 •quently near the vent. If these tumors are treated daily 
 with tincture of iodine until the skin appears inflamed, 
 then discontinue, they will usually d'.sappear, but when 
 they are located at any tender spot, for instance the 
 eye, this tincture should not be used for it may be the 
 means of fatally injuring the sight if any should get 
 into that organ's ducts. When the tumor is on or near 
 the eye I would advise the use of a mild solution of 
 sugar of lead. Occasionally the above methods of treat- 
 ment will be of no avail, and when such is the case, 
 surgical operations must be resorted to, to effect a cure. 
 Use a sharp knife, make an incision, care being taken 
 not to allow a flow of blood, and remove as much of the 
 tumor's contents as possible. The wound should then 
 be stitched up, and an ointment of iodoform applied 
 several times daily for a week until properly healed up. 
 
 SOUR CROP. 
 
 A form of indigestion often produced by the use of 
 too much corn in connection with wheat. If grains of 
 the same nature such as wheat, buckwheat, millet, can- 
 ary, etc., are fed at one meal, this condition will seldom 
 if ever arise. Most cases originate in the injudicious 
 use of corn, probably on account of its cheapness. 
 
 Sym])toras: The bird will have a rather lazy look, 
 and appear rather uncomfortable. The breath will be 
 ralher offensive and have a sour smell. When felt, the 
 
 71 
 
crop will be mushy and is somewhat distended. When 
 the bird has eaten very heartily the crop may be greatly 
 distended from the accumulation of gases produced by 
 the decomposition of the food. This is frequently fol- 
 lowed with a violent diarrhoea. 
 
 Treatment: If possible, remove some of the contents 
 of the crop, but it is not of so much importance in this 
 condition as in Crop Bound to remove the contents. 
 Remove the bird so it cannot get anything more to eat 
 and administer a capsule containing five drops of castor 
 oil, enough to purge and carry away all undigested 
 food. After a good discharge of the bowels has been 
 effected, soaked bread can then be given. Next day 
 the usual feed can be allowed. 
 
 GOING LIGHT. 
 
 The disease usually starts with diarrhoea caused by 
 an inflammation of the lining membranes of the boM'els. 
 It will finally cause an inflammation of the lungs which 
 gradually waste away as in consumption. The aftlicted 
 bird lays around with ruffed feathers and has a miser- 
 able appearance in general. The discharges will be 
 watery, containing considerable slime or mucous. Diar- 
 rhoea is present throughout the whole coarse of the 
 disease. They care not for food, just eating enough for 
 mere existence and finally die, having wasted to a mere 
 skeleton. 
 
 By far the best method to adopt is that of prevention. 
 Keep the loft in a good sanitary condition, feed the 
 best of food, (never rye) give fresh water, use the tonic 
 and this disease will seldom appear When a bird is 
 afflicted remove it at once and feed plenty of hemp 
 
 72 
 
seed. Cod liver oil is about the best medicine or nour- 
 ishment that can be adopted for tliis disease. It keeps 
 up the strength and helps to supply nourishment to the 
 tissues which are rapidly being consumed. It should 
 be given in capsules containing from three to five drops, 
 three or four times each day, and at the same time 
 administer a dose of hypophosphites of lime and soda, 
 one-fourth grain at each dose. If the diarrhoea persists 
 in a severe form, opium in some form must be given, 
 laudanum in the right piuportions can be put in the 
 drinking water. After tlie bird is convalescing, the 
 tonic should be given in the water for some time to 
 prevent the symptoms from recurring. 
 
 CANKER. 
 
 Canker is a disease of very common occurrence. 
 When it begins to form in the mouth, the mucous mem- 
 branes soon begin to grow paler eacli day, finally a 
 substance resembling cheese begins to form on either 
 side of the throat gradually growing in oize until the 
 bird can hardly breathe. About this time, the cheesy 
 matter, if not removed, changes and minute ulcers form 
 which, if allowed to run, destroy the membranes, rap- 
 idly causing the bird's death. These cankered spots or 
 ulcers change as the disease advances from a yellow to 
 a brownish color. Sometimes tliese ulcers form close 
 to the entrance to the windpipe. The bird will always 
 have a fever, the throat is swollen and the breath very 
 offensive. 
 
 With a small pointed stick remove as much of the 
 cheesy matter as possible without causing blood to 
 escape, and wasli out tlie mouth with a mild solution of 
 
 73 
 
salt water first; then take a small pinch (very smaii at 
 that) of burnt ahim and apply to the throat. This eats 
 away all cankered matter and encourages healing. Or 
 the throat could be painted with a mild solution of per- 
 manganate of potassium, using eight or ten grains to 
 the ounce of wateli". By tlie oxygen thrown out by this 
 solution and from its powerful absorbing effects, very 
 often the best of results can be obtained. The throat 
 should always be moistened also witli a little sweet oil 
 or some mild healing oil at least once a day after the 
 operation. 
 
 PIGEON TONIC. 
 
 The best tonic for pigeons, for general purposes, is 
 made by taking copperas one-half ounce, sulphate of 
 soda four ounces, Gentian Root (pow'd) one-half ounce 
 phosphate of soda't wo ounces and pure creosote (Beech- 
 wood) one dram. The creosote must first be rubbed 
 well, in a mortar, with about forty grains of calcined 
 magnesia (otherwise it would not mix with water, ) 
 Add two quarts of warm water and follow with the 
 other ingredients. Set away in a cool place, and use a 
 tablespoonful to a gallon of the birds' drinking water. 
 

 U/ 
 
 ^ 5QUABS^ 
 
 \{/ . . .FOR. . . 
 
 ^PROFIT. 
 
 ViV Revised and Rewritten by /n 
 J. A. SUMMEKS. /f\ 
 
 Vl/ - (n 
 
 A Practical Book for 
 
 iii 
 
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 Successful Squab Rais= ^^^ 
 ing by a Practical 'f5 
 
 Squab Raiser. /i\ 
 
 fllT the points treated % 
 in detail. W 
 
 The book contains: 
 
 Breeding Houses, Best Breedei 8, ^li 
 Birds to Purchase, Mating, Feeding /l| 
 and Care under all conditions. Dress- lli 
 ing, Marketing, Etc. It also contains /it 
 a most valuable treatise on Diseases iJ* 
 hat Pigeons are subject to. fi| 
 
 Price 50 Cents. /^\ 
 
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The Latest ^*"^^^ 
 
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 The work contains 264 pages, is handsome- 
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 ^ By FRANK H. GILBERT ^2 
 
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 ^ 32 Hawley St., BOSTON. 3 
 
APR 22 1904 
 
 The Jersey Perch 
 
 A Perfect Perch for Pigeons or Birds. 
 
 Made of Seasoned Maple and Coppered Steel Wire. 
 
 Can be placed anyaliere in the loft. 
 
 Handsome aiul neat in appearance. 
 
 Almost itidestru :tible. 
 
 Helps to improve the appearance of the loft. 
 
 Strong and rigid; will not wabble when birds light on it. 
 
 Makes good birds look better. 
 
 MADE IN TWO SIZbS. 
 3 inches in diameter, . . 5c. each; by mail 8c. each. 
 
 Per 100, $5.00, net. 
 31 inches in diameter, . . 6c. each; by mail 10c. each. 
 
 Per 100, $6.00, net. 
 
 We are Sole Agents for these Perches in New 
 York and vicinity. 
 
 N. P. S. SALT CAT. 
 
 (BURTT'S FORMULA.) 
 
 A Combination and Tonic for Homing and Fancy Pigeons, Birds, 
 
 Game Chickens and other Fowl. 
 
 It Puts Life into the Birds. Is a Good Appetizer and a General Invigorator. 
 
 SALT CAT is especially prepared for us and guaranteed to contain only first 
 class, nure and nutritious ingredients. 
 
 It aids digestion, invigorates the system, promotes good health, thereby placing 
 the birds in strong, active condition, increases their egg production and strengthens 
 their endurance. 
 
 It is put up in brick form, which prevents considerable waste, as occurs in feeding 
 other grits. It compels the birds to pick at it, keeping them busy. 
 
 Price per Brick, 10 cents each, $1.00 per doz. 
 
 If sent by Mail, add 20 cents per Brick for Postage. 
 Seamless Aluminum Leg Bands, 25c. per doz., $2 00 per 100. 
 
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 6 for :0c., 12 for $1.00. 
 
 A full line of supplies necessary for raising either poultry or pigeons. 
 Our immense illustrated catalogue Free, tiend for one. 
 
 Excelsior Wire & Poultry Supply Co., 
 
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 WM. V. Russ, Prop. NEW YORK CITY. 
 
LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 
 
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