HOMING NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2810, 22 January 1908, Page 65

HOMING NOTES.

m B* Mavbta Meaet. - '■ -This liaa been , the besf season, the horn-* -ing -dubs hJave"-nad. for some .time. Both the ' Wellington and InKercargill dubs •had established records for the longest dis.tance iown in any one", day, bat they will.bqw ho requjrea -to take a, back 'jseat, ..for ■ last week* Uie Dunedin club lowered-them--J»otH. Out of 37 "blrdß • 12lofts) that were liberated at Uapier on< Monday, 13th, at 4.30 "a.m., four birds, * ihe property of Mr B. .J. JFinnegan, reaened their loft the same evening, 1&e distance being _554 miles air line, air JTinnegan a Apres Moi was ihe first arrival, and was'; timed in at 7.29 p.m., followed shortly after ■ 3sy Wakeful, Idealist, Gean Gerardy, and Mount Blanc. These four birds have beaten all previous records -for the Dominion by 54 miles, and also Hie Teeord,, for Australia. The results of the race -were ( as follows: — Mr B. J. Finnegan'a Apres Moi let, time 14br 58min' r winning the silver cup presented by Mr O. Bills. Mr W. JEBquilant*s Dewy Morn 2nd, time 17hr 43min. Mr F, Gibson's Sleepy 3rd, tame 18hr smin."*- '*■ Mr 43. Gore** Britisher, . 21hr 19min ; Mr : E. J. Reeves's Welcome Jack, 24hr smin; Mr J. Knowles's Tally Ho, 24h-r 22min; Mr W; Keen's I*.dy Love, 25hr 57nnn; Mr M, Hohnes's Sootciman, 43hr 43niin J ; Mr W. Niven's Royalty, "44hr 19min. Seventeen birds were timed in within ihe time limit, which is a- credit to their owners. Apres Moi was- bred by her owner from bis Jean Gerardy and Lady Didcot. Dewy Morn was bred by his owner from a pair of birds out of Mr Hopkins's loft , at Auckland. This bird is; only a yearling, and it was a -very creditable performance for a young bird. Sleepy was also bred by -his owner.^from his famous ' Blue -Blood, strain. Mr Reeves bad its', misfortune to lose bis - bird Monte in the race. -This J>ird settled ori,Mr v Harrison*e property at Mabeno on Monday - evening, the day -of toes, in an^sxhausted condition. It was taken to a room inside "the house and eiven food

and water, hat when Mr Harrison looked in on Tuesday morning he found it dead. Monte had been working well, and would not hare been iar behind the winner had hs been in good form. ' The Dunedin club's next race will be from Hicks "Bay, a distance of 715 miles. I have it on good authority tfoat another silver cup will be forthcoming should tbey succeed in flying it "witnin the time limit. Last 'Saturday the Dunedin -club held .an interval «ape from Orepuki, distance of 136 miles,- for. a trophy presented "by Mr S. Millar. The results were «s follows : — - Mr IF. €rfbson".3 Emma Ist, 3h'r 4min —a velocity oIT.3OByciS per minute. Mr H. Short's .Celerity 2nd, time 3hr Bmin — a velocity of 3281yjds. ■ t Mr J. .EJnowlests B.ed Jacket 3rd, tims 3hr SJ-min — »- velocity of 12.7i£ydfl. Mr "W. 'EsQttiknrs Ooean Wa.ve shr13min, Mr T. Teitchle liberty -3hr 14imin. Twenty-nine birds competed, - Tsepresenting 13 lofts. -*- *" A amount of credit for the breeding of Mr Finne^an's wianer is due to Mr A. C. Gerard, of Christchurcb, who «lly selected Mone £erand aad Grannie- &>r Messrs Einnegan and Torrie, And -aI&J for .the splendid Advice -voluntarily -given to the above" fanciers. Lord Logan and iLaoy Didcot irere also purchased at the same _time from MrW.E Knight, of Melbourne, who at that .time was tSe most suoceasrul fancier in Melbonxna. The -aibove Jbur stock birds bave left sguite.a number -of winders over-all x»n* -the sxoad *nd iji fbe show pen. Ideal- and Tiady Butts were afeo selected Jaj Mr. A. ->C> , -JeanjGerardy ima,* wonderful record. -X doubt if Any other pigeon -in New Zealand has a better one on -the xoad or- in «. show pen. 'During his career of four years-ra cing; he has .never jpent a njght out -of hi« loft. Jean Gerardy wa« isa-tched rfrona the fiwt egg his dam, Grannie, bad -laid. She wai then nine months' old, And Mr Finnegaai, " after her laying her &sst egg, let her otic xrath the .object -of brooking -her to his loft, and «he stayed away three daja ; consequently her 'Eecond -egg was lost. Mi JTinnegan's -Wakeful, who finished juftt after .Apres Moi, Is -a- daughter of Grannie, awl has also. a fine record on the road «nd in the «how .pen, and Mr E. "J. Reeye, en ' .active member and ex-president of >the Danedin Club, cqnsiders 'Wakeful the finest hen! in- Australasia. She is ihe dam ■of Don, Jose, winner in ihe' show <pen and Ashfeairton and Amberley races'. • , ' .Apses Moi trapped ia one minute aiter jarrivaL Master Sydney Smith, who is at "present looking' (after Mr TBMnneganUspigeons during the latter* abuence at Wanton, found! Idealist' in -the loft on bis return from the club room "on the iday of the. race; Nest week I shall give particulars -of Mr W. -Esquilant's -flwee Tjirds, which arli'ned at 7 the -following mooirniiig, winnißg second placer Mr iF: D. jGibeon^ -who wns third, suod the other plsteed m«mters- . The Korth OtagOTpigeon flying ! Cljib~fiew ite Gore'- interval ' race >pn Thursday, fie distance- being 120. miles, air" line. -Shortly after 9">a.m>a wire wae. xeoeired from tua' .liberator, MrrE. S A. Pigeon, -of the Bank of New 'Zealand, saying,:^ "Weather thick:' raindujg heavily." However^ acs«pas decided* to* have the Inrds" "libexaited. i^iiotlier' wire was to- hanS a* 1.20 pjn. reading:- "Mrs Pigeon, iib&iatcd dtp ,t»me ; ,-tlriot weather :i raining beavily ; . ligh£X&oui3a->west; wkid." me weather -was terribly- roughs espeeialiy! down south, .although -at Oamaru beawy xajn jdid.not .eet in till 4 p.m. The winner, ■ytho liomed, soak-ed, at .3.7 p.m-Vhej tinae being 4kr' 28min, wae the 'first- and -only .arrival on the day, of liberation, thus wictoing -.-first money :and Mr Ecdes'-s trophy. The club, .ar« . indebted ., to 3Jr \nd Mrs Pigeon for -.their trouble in connection with attending to and liberating the birds; -_a}so 3VIr Ecclbs -and-Mr Chiloatt (tinsfikeeper^. Kesults:— Mr B. Valpy's Granelda, 788yias per tairrutejl: Gtraußlda was obtained as, a youoggter from Mr B. "J. Pinnegan (Ducedin), wno bred -her from Mons. Gvknl, ' Gerard— Grannie),- ex ferifielda. fbrea by Mr J. R7 Hayne, -Anekland). This * itf ■the first_ thne'jßhe has been ,-raced. The uejnaining .coinpelitors-T-McasTa Couper, 'Robertson, James, ,3. and E. Baker, Cooney, Eocles, Grayj- ilanton, and "Meikle— hold , a" #y when coaven-ien* to -decide the winners ■of-4he second «nd €bird -points -*nd pTiao'inoneys.