HOMING NOTES.

Otago Witness, Volume 23, Issue 2684, 23 August 1905, Page 49

HOMING NOTES.

Bt Mansta Mealt.

1 The great red-letter day in the calendar of English homing occurred this yea*r on July 3. On that day all eyes turn to Ma.rennes in France, a town distant 400 miles from the metropolis, and chosen as the> ideal "starting post for the Grand National Pigeon Raoe of Great Britain. Two thousand two hundred and seventy-five of the fastest long-distance pigeons were entered for this event. The birds were four days " in the baskets, and were liberated in the i presence of French officials and representatives of English competing clubs. The velocity of the winner was 961 yards per minute, and it is owned by J. W. Matten, Epsom, a working-man fancier, and a plumber by trade. This is his fourth year at pigeon-racing. The winning bird is a short oobby red ohequer cock, of medium. - size. It has what in the eyes of some judges is considered a sad deformity — viz., a slightly crooked keel. This bird is a most consistent performer, having flown, the Channel seven times, and has never spent a night out of his loft. The vaJuo of the prize money awarded to winners amounts to £1150, and pools are subscribed to by. the members of flying clubs to be ■ divided among the winners of their own j clubs. — The Racing Pigeon, London. HINTS' FOR THE NO VICE. . Common, every-day sense is the best guido for the beginner. What will be applicable to one loft may not bring the same results to another ; no hard and fast rales can be drawn up by which to fly pigeons. Above all things the novice must have patience. His loft must be built according to circumstances — the pigeons likewise. But he should, by all means, visit neighbouring lofts, examine the appliances and arrangements, and so, to a certain extent, profit by the failures and successes of older fanciers ; the knowledge thus gained,, should! enable him to start intelligently.^ .The "tricks of the trade" are few and far between, and are acquired by experience — the best teacher. Pigeon flying, above all other snorts or pastimes, is the most uncertain. " Misses rather than hits are the "" rule. A pigeon, in common with every living organism, possesses individuality ; - it - differs just as one human being does from another. The young fancier must study his birds, ascertain by experience their capacity for food and exercise. Keep your loft clean and the drinking water pure. I have seen lofts wherein the excretum was piled five and six inches high under the perches and in the nesting compartments, yet the inmates were strong and healthy . because the loft ventilation was perfect. Place the same conditions in the loft of - a man who is equally as slovenly and lazy, whosp. loft is lacking good ventilation. The result may be surmised — a team of dirty, droopy, bedraggled birds, the loft— a hotbed. . of disease and filth. To sum up, the secret - of pigeon-flying is to study your birds carefully feed on sound grain, give clean, pure water, plenty of grit, and moderate exer;ci=e This, in addition to a well-ventilated, well-kept loft, with plenty of patience on the young fancier's part, should do much to place him on the road to success. Above all things, don't attempt records, but plod along steadily; the "tricks" will come with experience. ________

The Southland Times states that somehoodlums did a lot of damage in the bardens on Tuesday night. They twisted about 100 of the bows of the new fence, broke down wire netting, and threw turnstiles into the creek.

NEW MUSIC— From the Frederick Harris Company, mus ; e publishers London, we have received a. copy of "The. Maoriland Waltzes," for piano, composed by Maxine Heller. This is an excellent set of waltzes, end deserves to become popular. It is one of the prettiest waltzes we havo heard for some tirno, being melodious and pleasing, and possessing a beautiful dreamy air through >ut whioh cannot fail to be admired. Th-e time is well marked, and makes this waltz an enchanting one to danoe to. It is therefor© sure to become a general favourite. The title page is charmingly illustrated. _