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Show BIG PIGEON RACING GROWING INTEREST IN GREAT INTERNATIONAL FLIGHTS. England Declared to Be Suffering from an Aggravated Case of Pigeon-Hit Pigeon-Hit Owing to Demand for 8peedy Birds, It in said that England's latest sporting sport-ing mania Is VIMgeonltls," that is. In plain English not pigeon English the rnlslng of pigeons for Hying, breeding, breed-ing, messago-carrylng and other purposes, pur-poses, Tho extent to which pigeon fnncylng Is carried may bo Judged from tho fact that no less than 10,500 carrier pigeons. worth $00,000, woro entered In tho recent great "Pigeon Derby." Tho birds woro turned looso at Nantes, In tho south of France, and flew 460 miles to Lancashire, England. Prizes of more than $5,000 woro nwnred. Tho extent and Importance of tho now sport may bo further Judged from tho fact thnt both the king nnd prince of Wnles entered birds. Special Spe-cial "pigeon trains" were run from the Midlands to tho embarking ports on these occasions, nnd "pigeon staterooms" state-rooms" fitted up on tho cross-chnnncl steamers. The whole nrrnngemcnts were carried out with tho most elaborate elabo-rate care, and qulto regardless of cost. Even tho ordinary "mnn In the street" In London shows his pigeon-fnncylng pigeon-fnncylng proclivities by feeding and watching tho flocks of birds which hnve taken up their nbodo in tho great public buildings, such ns St. Paul's cathedral, Westminster abbey, tho Drltlsh museum, and clsowhoro. It Is a rather singular thing that certain families ot pigeons attach themselves to each of tho great public buildings, and somo fnnclcrs say they can tell whether n bird Is n citizen of tho Ilrltlsli museum or of St. Paul's. Doubtless tho latter aro of n moro religious re-ligious turn of mind, whllo probably tho Drltlsh museum variety would know moro nbout Egyptology than their clerical confreres. Whon n pigeon Bhow Is on In London Lon-don thousands of pcoplo flock to seo It. Judges ot flno birds nro appointed with as much care as would bo a Judgo of tho BUprcme court. Nor Is tho pigeon Judgo a whit happier than tho man of law. Ho runs n clinnco of making ma-king motal enemies ovcry tlmo ho renders n decision. As n consequence, pigeon Judges havo taken refuge In n numerical system for all birds, bo that thoy can not be accused of partiality, par-tiality, which they might bo suspected of If they" know tho ownors' names. It has only been within recent years that bird fanciers havo gono in so extensively ex-tensively In England for raising pigeons pig-eons with big prices attached to tlicm. A fow years ago you could buy a really flno hirn nnywhoro for about 30 cents. Now thoy nro asking $200 and $300 for pigeons, which. Judging from tho mcro appearances, do not seem to bo "up to much." An Immense amount of Intorcst is always tnkcn ln "cnrrlcrs," of courso. Tho chief characteristic of the car- LV - Liberating Thousands of Pigeons al Nantes for Great Race from France to England. rlcr, to mnko It n valuable bird, must bo length of neck and benk, and n curious, bulging sort of growth on oach Bldo of tho lattor. Just why this ugly-looking "wattlo," as It Is called, should bo considered n good point it is hard to tell. Doubtless fanciers havo somo profound reason which thoy only dlvulgo when in secret nmong themselves, with doors closed nnd lights out. However, tho wattlo goes nnd brings prizes. It docs not add to tho facial dignity ot tho bird. It resembles re-sembles two rather largo and distinctly distinct-ly rlpo strawberries, placed on cither Bldo of tho beak. You can not help sympathizing with a bird with n straw-hurry straw-hurry noso like this; and tho porpetua-tlon porpetua-tlon ot this feature by breeders mlghl well bo dono away with. While thoy aro about It and considering fanciers' claims that they can obtain any result thoy llko thoy might ns well give hs pigeon a small moss roso, or oven a three-leaf clover, to wear Instead ot nn overripe strawberry. |