HOMING NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2804, 11 December 1907, Page 36

HOMING NOTES.

Br Mausta Mealy

Tho Drnedin Homing Figeoi- Club flew off a fiock race from Tirnaru on November 30. Seventy-cigLt pigeons competed. Results : — A. Fleming's Bed Morn (time. 2hr •imin; velocity, 1522 yds lft 3m) .... 1 T. Veitch's Bon Red (tune, 2hr GAmiii; velocity. 1510 yds Oft lin) 2 "W. Keen's Pearl Heef (time, 2hr oirnin ; velocity, 1503 yds? 2ft lOin) 3 J. Knowles's Nancy Jane (time, 2hr 4^11110; velocity, 1498 yds 2ft 6m) 1 "W, E6quilant'9 Dewey Morn (time, 2kr 7imin; velocity. 1497.yds Oft lOjr.) .. .. 5 Messrs Short, Gibson, Niven, Fitinegan, TJmbers. Abernethy, Cox. Taylor, Paterscn, Stone, Eeeves, Tattersfield, »mA >teihoa rlso competed.

i This race should have bean flown froto Studholme Junction, but unfortunately the hampers were overcarried' to Timaru. The stationmaster kindly liberated the birds immediately after arrival, 'the weather was fine and clear, with a very light wind in the birds' favour. Mr Fleming's gcod little hen Red Morn placed another first to her painstaking owner's credit. She was bred by Mr Fleming, eire Kildare. dam Duerinck hen. Mr Holmes bred Bon Red, sire Bon Blue, dam Killarney, by Gamecock ex Grannie 11. Pearl Reef was bred by the owner; sire Prospector (bred by Mr J. R. Hayne), darn La Cigale II (bred by Mr Finnegan) , sire Jean Gerardy, dam Lady Didcot (imported). Nancy Jane was bred 'by Mt RnowLes ; sire Silver Spark, dam I La Toaca, by Jean Gerardy, dam Lady I Didcot. Dewoy Morn, the fifth bird, was , bred by Mr Esquilant from a pair of ' Hopkins's bird 6. Last Saturday an interval race was flown by the Dunedin Homing Pigeon Club from Timaru (an »ir-line of 107 miles) for » trophy presented by Mr P. J. M'Shane. pens competed, and the different owners' birds were liberated at intervals «£ fiv« minutes by Mt R. Douglas, an ex-member of the club Result: — Mr B. J. Finnegan's G-nselda (time, 2hr lSJmin), velocity 1393 yds Ift lOin — . . 1 Mr W. Keen's Pearl Reef (time, 2hr lSJmin), velocity 1392 yds 2ft Sin .. .. 2 Mr W. Niven's Young Hayne (time, ihr 16min), velocity 1375 yds sin "J Mr J. Knowles's Nancy Jane (time, 2hr 18min), velocity 1354 yd» 2ft 9in ') Mr T. Veitch's All Black (time, 2hr 21min), velocity 1354 yds 2ft 3in 5 The other competitors finished in the following order: — Mr H. Short's bird (time, 1 2hr 173min); Mr A. Fleming's bird (2hr 191min); Mt E. J. Reeves' s bird (2hr24Jmin); Mr C. Abernethy'B bird (2hr 18Jmin) ; Mr J. Cox's bird (2hr 21min); Mt W. Tattersfield's bird (2hr 23Jmin); Mr R. G. Umbers' s bird (2hr 22imin); Mr F. Gibsom's bird (2hr : 24|mdn); Mir W. Taylor's bird (2hr 26min); j Mr W. Escrailanfs bird (2hr 33min); Mr T. Neilaon's bird (2hr 33|min) ; Mt A. Stone's bixd (2hr 57imin); Messrs Graham. Bros.'a bird (3hr) ; Mr W. Paterson's bird (Bhr 4min). The winner of the above race is a grizzle hen bred by Mr J. R. Hayne firom the Mealy Wegge cock Prospector (imported), dam grizzle hen Miss Grooter (imported), Pearl Reef wae bred by Mr Keen ; sire Prospero (bred by Mr J. R. Hayne), sire Mealy Wegge cook Prospector, dam Lady Delmotte. The dam of Pearl Reef was bred by Mr Finnegan, ftom Jean Gerardy and Lidy Didcot. Young Hayne was bred by Mr Niven from a pair he purchased from Mr J. R. Hayne. All Black is a jet ! black hen, bred from a Baldwin cock and a Scrivner hen. This is a very consistent worker for Mr Veitch. Mr Hugh Short , and Mr Veitch ti« for fifth place. I The raoe, being ai? interval one, was a ! true test of each bird's ability, 'and the ! performanoee of Mr Hayne's birds and | progeny are an excellent proof of the ' Quality of the blood Mr Hayne had in his loft. Several members are now regretting the fine chance they lost of not securing come of this blood when the loft wae broken up. I know one fancier who is weeding out hie old blood to make room for the youngsters he has bred from Mr \ Hayne's birds. The grizzles are in great i I demand. Mr Finnegan shipped three to j Wellington last week, and has more orders I in hand. His young grizzles have worked I splendidly, two yearling hens having flown from Cape Campbell '347 miles), and are going next Saturday to Kaitoki, on the Wairarapa line, an air-line distance of 413 miles. Several members of the Dunedin Club are having a race from Napier (550 miles) on Saturday week. They are lifting the birds from Cape Campbell, a jump of 213 miles. The idea is to avoid flying Kaitoki, aa they consider with good birds it is not necessary to wear them out with too many raoee. Mr Finnesran is sending Fireworks, Jean Gerardy, Mount Blano. Idealist, Mons Nami, Wakeful, and Apres Moi. Mr Reeves has a good team in Mars, Monty, Welcome Jack, etc. Mr Tattersfield has his imported Belgiume, which have flown 500 milee and over in their own country, and which are now working well here. Mesers Knowlee, Niven, Graham, Veitoh, and Absrnethy have also some good bird«, so with anything like decent weather I am positive the birds will do the performance. The schedule race of the club from Napier does not take place until January 11, 1908. Penning-up takes place this (Wednesday) evening for Kaitoki •»