THE SPEED OF BIRDS.

Lake Wakatip Mail, Issue 2360, 3 May 1901, Page 6

THE SPEED OF BIRDS.

The speed of pigeon* and of birds in general baa been ranch discussed in recent times by d ffere&t zoologists. Many authorities ire. inclined to give too tijb figures. Thus, according Spall&nzmi, the speed of the marten is fixed at 290 ft. per second, and that of tie pigeon (estimated from a flight »f four from Pens tn Budapest) at 155 ft per second. But thfse fieuiw appear to be er OU'OUi An it;terestiog fiperimeet has just been aude at Aatwerp by Mr. A. Vtrsrburcn on the subject of the speed cf swail»ws. Having succeeded is capturing one of ttese bird*, he marked it and gare it in charge of a train which started for Compiegae on the 16th of May with 250 biikots of carrier pi:eo»» beUngisg to the l'rdcration Colombopbile. The swallow was set free en Maj 17th, at seree o'clock in the morniag, along with the pigee&s, and, quick m a flHsh, took a enrtherly directios, while the pigeoai were still de-scribing numerous spirals in search ef tbetr direction. At twenty-three minute* past »igi.t the bird made its appearance in Antwerp, and hast>-ued to seek its re«t. Ths first pigrons did act enti r tb»ir cote till half-past elereu. The swallow had made the 140-mile trip in mr hour and eight minutes -ay at a spted ot 120 miles an hour, or about lD n !t. a sreond. Tho pigeon attaiaed a speed of but 35 miles an hoi", or 50ft. a sreoud. Such sprel, neatly 200 t. a sico«d, give us an idea of the rßpi.li > with which swallows are capable of areomplisl ii g tl eir migratioßS. To ieali Bil.ium from lie Bmth of Africa, for example, it would take them scarcely half a day