HOMING NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2811, 26 August 1908, Page 58

HOMING NOTES.

By Matjsta Mealy.

At the present time many pigeon fanciers throughout the country are busy training their birds for the big racee of the year. The growth of this sport has been almost phenomenal in England. • Half -a dozen years ago there were only 250 pigeon-racing societies; to-day there are something like 1500. Wealthy men have taken up the 6port, while there are ateo nearly 200 lady fanciers who enter for races. In Lancashire, Cheshire, and Yorkshire the s-port has grown to such an extent that from May to August the railway companies run, special trains each week for the conveyance of birds. Some of these trains carry as many as 20,000 pigeons, while it is not unusual for 10,000 or 12,000 birds to take part in the races of the North Country federations. Undoubtedly a great fillip was given to the sport when King Edward became president of the National Flying Club come years ago, a position his Majesty on his accession resigned in favour of the Prince of Wales. Both have been fanciers for many years, and at Sandringham there arc two of the best equipped lofts in the pountry. One of the finest records of the National Flying Club stands to the credit of the King, and a certificate (which his Majesty now has framed at Sandringham) tells how his gallant homer in 1899 flew the distance of 510 miles at the rate of 1307 y<ard6 per minute, and was the first of the 132 birds which competed in the " Pigeon Derby " of that year. The pioneer of long-distance pigeon flying in England is Mr J. W. Logan, late M.P.* for Market Harborough, and chairman of the National Flyinsr Club Committee. Mr Logan inaugurated -the great race which took place on July 22 of this year from San Sebastian. In this race the birds had to fly from 600 to 800 miles. Unfortunately during "these long-distance races birds to the value of several hundreds of pounds are often lost. As many as 100,000 have been loot in one season. Storms of wind and rain work havoc amongt the homers. — Exchange.