HOMING NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2879, 19 May 1909, Page 63

HOMING NOTES.

Bt Mausta Mealt.

The Dunedin Homing Club flew off its first Young Bird Race on the South road, fi-om Ciore, on Saturday, an air-line distance of 77 miles. The birds were liberated by Mrs A. C. Pigeon at 11 a.m. The weather was cloudy, but there was no wind. The rare resulted as follows: —

' Mr A. Turnbull'e Merry Widow. Time, j Ihr 20min. Velocity, 1709 yds Oft 9in 1 Mr A. Hunt's Bonami Duke. Time,

Ihr 18£min. Velocity, 1706vds Oft 4in 2 Mr J. Henderson's Leith Gem. Time, Ihr 20£mrn. Velocity, 170* yds 3 Mr R. Umber's Lady L. Time, Ihr 20£min. Velocity, 1703 yds lft Btn ... 4 Messrs Tatter.- field, Niven, and W. ! Taylor's birds tied for fifth position. Forty- ' tlu-ee birds competed, representing 14

lofts. ! The placed birds were all bred by their owners. Merry Widow is by, Baker, ! Grannie cock, ex Lassie ; Bonami Duke, by 1 Mons Nami, ex Bonanji Queen ; Leith Gem. from a pair of imported birds from G^o. Woodward, Melbourne ; Lady L., by Meteor, ex Chubby. j Mr H. W. Hilton, of Naseby, has again offered a trophy for a race from Naseby, i the pigeons to be exhibited at the Manio- ! toto show, heid at Nas&by on June 10. Mr i Hilton will judge the two classes for Dun- ' edin birds. Each Dunedin owner's pigeons ,-will be liberated at intervals of five minutes. The secretary will receive a letter contain--ing particular? cf each bird, the letter to be opened after the judging is finished, fche pigeons to be then divided so that each owner's birds will be 6ent off togstb&r. The pig<x>ns for Nasehv will be penned up on the evening of June 7. | Nett Saturday the Dunedin Club's Derby will be flown from Asbburton. This is the classic event of the season, and some champions will be competing. Messrs H. t G., and Arthur Hunt have a very strong team, alao Messrs Yeitch, Umbers, Short. Henderson, and Niven. In naming the above very strong lofts I am open to getting a surprise, as I have heard of some good times being recorded, but the owners are keepin? very quiet about it.

T The contest for the trophy for the aggre. I gate number of points in the old and young bird races promises tp be very keen. Mr "Veiteh is Jeading, with two races to go. Arthur Hunt is five and a-half 1 lees, with Mr Knowles very close up. j Mr Monte Barker, the well-known fancier at Ashburton, has kindly consented to liberate the pigeons next Saturday for the Derby. I would like to see a head wind for this contest, &o that condition, would! ■ play a prominent part. The homing pigeon is not the only bird* that has been utilised for homing purposes. Last year some savants^ residents of Roubaix, Belgium, conducted a number of experiments, having swallows as the medium. These gentlemen acquired considerable and most interesting knowledge! as the outcome of their invstigations. They succeeded in discovering food acceptable to their little feathered pets, and they wera enabled in so doing to keep them in health during the winter months whilst im captivity in a " warm room. These, I should add, were young birds, and i.pon the aa-rival of spring they manifested tha customary desire to propagate their sneeiesThe return of '-heir comrades; of the> autumn was deemed the propitious mo-< roent to grant liberty to the prisoners, and the windows vof the temporary prisom were opened. Within a brief ©pace of time the birds were ' busily ens-aged constructing their nest in the room they had occupied during the winter, and in this they proceeded on the lines usually adopted by the others. _ Their rationing being maintained tbe birds were not so eager to beatJ the air in search of substance, although, their powers of flight did not appear to ba minimised. In due course, as incubation was proceeding, the birds were captured and placed in boxes specially arranged for the purpose, taken dome distance away from their habitation, and liberated. IjT an incredibly short space of time thej returned, and within a** few days libera* tions were effected at a distance of about 300 miles away, the birds making- snood* their return at a speed approximately ofi 120 miles an hour. Aoouainted as we are with the rapiditj of flight of the swallow* the velocity recorded/ will not give rise? to astonishment. It is the fact of tha certainty of return of the bird that irivea us pause, inasmuch as during the progress of the trials not one was unaccounted for. So impressed were the gentlemen who conducted the trials that a proposition was advanced ieriouslv that for the -nutPDOses of the defence of the country swallows «hoaildj supersede homintr pigeons. Franca has «Jr»ady drafted into service a nujnberJ for military purposes. "