same day, and the match wag over early next day, when the
winner of the two hundred and eighth, or last prize, was sent
to the club for identification. The return of these birds is
not unfrequently spoken of as a peculiar manifestation of
instinct, but it depends upon observation and power of
flight; and the best bred birds will be lost if they are taken
untrained 100 miles from home. In ' this island, where the
cloudier state of the atmosphere interferes greatly with the
view of the birds, distances equal to those on the Continent
have not been accomplished, but races are regularly organized,
and this year several- have, been successfully flown from
Cherbourg, Arras, gt; Quentin, &e., to all parts of England.
“ The utilization of Homing pigeons in the conveyance of
letters microscopically reduced, from Tours to,Paris during
the siege of 1870-71, is well known; and birds are now
reared by both Germans and French in all those fortresses
which are pliable to-be beleaguered ip; time -of-war. In
England the Trinity House have utilized them in carrying
messages from the light-ships, and .they are also being
employed by the Government on some of the Indian
stations.”
Turttjr comMu m s , Selby;*—
THE TURT^Et DOVE.
‘"'GoWmb'd turtur* .
Tortur, Selby]-.—Bill rather slender, the tip !of the upper mandible gently
deflected, that of the lower scarcely exhibiting the appearance of ah angle: base
of the upper mandible covered with two soft, tumid, bare substances covering the
* Naturalist’».Library, Ornithology, vol. v: pp. 153 and 171 (1335).
•j* Tom. tit. p. 169.'