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 I04 Bird -Lore The 'law of reverse scent' will permit us to follow him on his wayward course, and to re-establish his itinerary. When we sur- prise the lost Pigeon's secret, we will verify that chance does not play any part in the movements of the bird. In i8g6 we attended a ^ lac her' of Pigeons that came from the Pigeon cotes of Mons and Charleroi. The two flocks of Pigeons having been set at liberty by chance at the same time, from two different points of the freight station, reunited in the air and formed at the time of their departure one flock. The weather was extremely unfavorable, mist, rain and a con- trary wind contributing to retard the home-coming of our winged travelers. A first fault of instinct, eas}' to explain, was noticed on their arrival ; two Pigeons from Mons are captured at Charleroi, and three Pigeons from Charleroi are taken at Mons. In short, about forty Pigeons did not return to their homes the same evening they were set at liberty. The departure from Orleans had taken place with a perfect gathering of the whole number of Pigeons ; the birds taking their direction first showed the way to follow to their companions, and some of these followed their guides blindly, to the extent of entering with them their unfamiliar Pigeon cotes. However, at Orleans, an observer verified, between three o'clock in the afternoon and seven o'clock in the morning, the arrival of about thirty Pigeons, which perched themselves on the roof of the station. Night came and we succeeded in capturing nine : five from Charleroi, and four from Mons. We set them at liberty again. This verification permits us to suppose that the thirtj^-two Pigeons which came back to Orleans had all lost their way when they were released in the morning. The morning of the next day, from five to seven o'clock, they all disappeared, one after the other, in the direc- tion of the North. About thirt}' of the belated ones returned the same day to Charleroi and Mons. These comings and goings explain themselves quite naturally by the 'law of the reverse scent.' Our winged voyagers forming one flock at their departure from Orleans, were not long about dividing themselves into many groups. We have pointed out that to come back they had to struggle against the bad weather. Now, in this regard, the Carrier Pigeons are not all armed with the same ability to fight the elements. The small Pigeon, called the 'Liegeoise,' flies with great velocity during normal weather. The very stuffy-looking Pigeons called ' Auversoise, ' endowed with considerable muscular power, cannot rival the Liegeoise during fine weather, but is very superior to him when it is necessary, for