Racers Of The Sky

Probably the most ancient sport in the world is racing various birds, especially falcons and pijeons, in the air. Among the earliest Srriptures is the statement that Noah sent a dove out of the ark, which returned with an olive branch in lts beak. This shows that the reliability of the homing pigeon, or dove, to return to its home was known and used by man In the earliest history of the world. Doves were usei by kings and princes to carry messages, and also to race, ages ago. It is surmised that carrier pigeons carried to the appalled priestd of the Egyptian temples the first news of tho overwhelming of Pharaoh's host in the Red Sea. Pigeon racing in modern time is THE NATIONAL SPOKT OF HOLLAND, whence are derived the most perfect breeds, called Antwerps, or homing pigeons. Great sums of money are wagered upon their speed. At t.he Detroit International Fair and Exposition (Aug. 26 to Sept. 5, inclusive) there will be the largest show of these beautiful birds ever collected in America, and several fine races by champion birds at distances varylng from 50 to 400 miles. How these birds are trained to race is a puzzle to the general public. They come to the start with máseles as hard as steel, plumage glossier than siik, and looking, all over, like WINGED ATHLETES, howing that regular exercise must have been used to put them into condition. A horse can be galloped, whether he will or not, and so harden his muscles and improve his wind. But how can a bird be made to fly regularly an hour or two every day? Mr. George W. Burnham, the faiuous lndianapolis breeder and trainer, tells how it is done. He is now training a basket full of birds for the great Exposition race from Detroit to lndianapolis, 24S miles. At the Exposition he will exhibit 40 birds, and show and explain all his methods of breeding, traveling and training. He says: "A homing pigeon is one of the most intelligent creatures in the whole animal kingdom. They train themselves, after they once catch on to the idea, which they do with wonderful quickness; and they are as faitliful in doing their hour or hour and a half of hard exercise every day, all alone by themselves away up and off in the air, as a horse is with a rider and whip to compel him to do hisdaily miles on the track." "But how do you manage it?" "First we select for the race such birds as have proved not only fast and strong, but reliably industrious in preliminary flights. Some birds will loiter as soon as they get out of sight, or stop and alight in trees or elsewhere. Such birds are no good, and are killed off, if they cannot be broken. After the right birds are selected, they are locked in separate apartmeuts of the loft, away from their mates, and PUT THROÜOH A COURSE Of REGULAR DAILT EXERC1SK of from an hour to an hour and a half trong flight every day. The loft is divided off by wire screens, with one general exit door, permitting only one bird to pass out or in at a time. But the doors of the apartments can be opened either all together or each separately by the attendant pulling cords or wires. Ths perch at the main exit door has a spring which rings an electric bell every time a bird passes In or out, and a self recorder of the number of birds passing. Regularly every morning and afternoon, at exactly the same hour and minute by the clock, a little bell rings rapidly in the loft for a few seconds. This is the cali to exercise. A few minutes before the time you will see every bird in training getting restless and eager. They keep track of the time more closely than men could in their places. The instant their doors are open they are out like a shot, and as impatient as possible to get out of the main door. When the bell rings again and the exit door opens they fairly tumble over each other trying to see which shall be first to get started. As each goes out the elect-ic bell rings and he is recorded. Each flies at once up into the air and goes to flying his hour of exercise all over the surrounding country as if his Ufe depended upon getting somewhere. An attendant watches outside. and if any bird lingers an instant, or alights anywhere in sight, or returns before the hour is up, he is IMMKMATKLY SHOT AT with a wad of paper or other harmless missile from a blow gua and compelled to take wing. This is rarely necessary, and a bird that shirks in this way a few times is counted out as no good. "While the birds are out exercising their apartments are cleaned with the utmost nicety, fresh sand and gravel are strewn and the troughs and baths are filled with fresh food and water. At the end of the exercise hour a bell is rung. Then you should see the birds come! They drop down out of the sky. They come at full speed from far away off out of sight. They tumble over each other in the air to ■ee which shall get in again first. The door opens and they enter, one by one, each being recorded with a bell ring. "Every few days they are TAKEN IN BASKETS OÜT TOR TRIAL FLICHTS The first flight may be 20 miles. Thenext flight is 15 to 20 miles farther; the next 30 miles farther; then 50 or 60 miles farther. The time and condition and conduct of each bird at their flight is carefullv noted, and his treatment corresponds with his needs Out of the trial birds the best are selected for the final race. The best means the ones who do the whole (iistance quickest. This means the most industrious and reliable birds. One may go 20 or 30 miles like a shot, but let up on 100 miles, or stop for too much rest on 200 miles or over. Others may not cover 20 miles so quickly, but are safe to bet on regular iudustry for a lont; (Iistance. Each bird has to be studied by itself. It's the particular bird's charaoter that tells in the betting on a race, even more than power and speed. "Character means more than industry, too. The intelligent bird that never geta lost in a fox, that flies high or low to get favorable currents of air, that avoids all the dangers of hawks and of being shot by miscreant gunners; the faithful bird that crystal water or a nice grain field or any other temptation cannot seduce to linger, and that can be depended upon every time alike; the plucky bird that never gets scared out of course; the wise and ainbitious bird, that seems to know you are betting oq him, and keeps an eye out for his competitors, and COMES HOME WITH A RUSH U) get in first - all these traits count and have to I carefully Btudied. "But t the greatest sport in the world, and tht' piensan. est business," eoncluded the enthusiasue fancier. "You never hearil oí any one once taking hold of pigeon breeding and training who ever got tired of it. lts going to be the greatest show ever seen by the American people, nd dor 't you forget it. "