CARRIER PIGEON, a variety of the common domestic pigeon used for the purpose of carrying messages. Several varieties are thus employed, but what is distinctly called the carrier pigeon is a large bird with long wings, large tuber culated mass of naked skin at the base of the beak, and with a circle of naked skin round the eyes. This variety, how ever, is rather a bird for show than use, and the variety generally employed to carry messages more resembles an ordi nary pigeon. The practice of sending letters by pigeons belongs originally to eastern countries, though in other coun tries it has often been adopted, more especially before the invention of the electric telegraph. These birds can be utilized in this way only by virtue of what is called their `homing' faculty or instinct, which enables them to find their way back home from surprising dis tances. The missive may be fastened to the wing or the tail, and must be quite small and attached so as not to inter fere with the bird's flight. By the use
of microphotography long messages may be conveyed in this way, and such were received by the besieged residents in Paris during the Franco-Prussian War of 1870-1871, the birds being conveyed out of the city in balloons. Seventy-two miles in two and a half hours, and 180 in four and a half, have been accom plished by carrier pigeons. Large num bers of these birds are now kept in Eng land, Belgium, France, etc., there being numerous pigeon clubs which hold pigeon races to test the speed of the birds. These pigeons are also kept in several European countries for military pur poses. In the United States there are numerous homing clubs, formed for breeding, training, racing, and exhibit ing carrier pigeons.