. My pets; real happenings in my aviary . e nationalwater-tight message holder fastened on its leg. These patriotic birds are equally ready for peace- 127 My Pets ful campaigns, if one can call a presidential elec-tion by that name. Once, during a hotly contestedelection in Arizona, they did fine service in bringingthe returns for outlying districts, some of themflying at the rate of a mile a minute. France is very suspicious of foreign-trainedhomers, since her experience during the Franco-Prussian War. At that time she learned the greatservice done by pigeons in bringing relief to be-leaguere
. My pets; real happenings in my aviary . e nationalwater-tight message holder fastened on its leg. These patriotic birds are equally ready for peace- 127 My Pets ful campaigns, if one can call a presidential elec-tion by that name. Once, during a hotly contestedelection in Arizona, they did fine service in bringingthe returns for outlying districts, some of themflying at the rate of a mile a minute. France is very suspicious of foreign-trainedhomers, since her experience during the Franco-Prussian War. At that time she learned the greatservice done by pigeons in bringing relief to be-leaguered Paris. Now she does foreign pigeons thehonor of excluding them from France. An alienpigeon cannot take up its residence there exceptunder such restrictions as any well-brought-up birdwould resent. Germany too has its pigeons. While traveling inthat country I was amused at the military aspect ofmany of its inhabitants, and was not surprised tolearn that it has military pigeons. One can imaginethe proud carriage of a German war-bird. 128. CHAPTER XIV PRINCESS SUKEY THE little kingdom of Belgium waxes mostenthusiastic over pigeons. This is the greatbreeding center, this is the real home of themodern, thoroughbred homer. Pigeon-flying is thenational pastime. One-fifth of the entire popula-tion are active fanciers, and their wonderful birdsare sent away in such numbers that special trainsare made up for them. Why should it not be a national sport in America ?One can think of no class of persons who wouldnot be benefited by taking an Interest in thesemost lovable and intelligent of birds. I have proved 129 My Pets by my own experience that it is a delightful relief toturn from the strenuous fatigue of a modern day^swork to the quiet of a pigeon-loft. Here are hardworkers, but they are quiet, calm, reposeful. Some famous trips have been made by Americanbirds, though, as the number of lofts increases, thetendency is not to fatigue birds by too long ajourney. Five hundred mile one-day
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