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Homing pigeons are placed in a trainingprogram from about the time they are twenty-eight days of age. They are taughtto enter the cage through a trap and to exercise above and around the loft , andgradually they are taken away for short distances in willow baskets andreleased. They are then expected to find their way home in the shortestpossible time. In their training flights or in actualraces, the birds are taken to prearranged distant points and released to findtheir way back to their own lofts. Once the birds are liberated, their owners,who are standing by at the home lofts, anxiously watch the sky for the returnof their entries. Since time is of the essence, the speed with which the birdscan be induced to enter the loft trap may make the difference between gaining awin or a second place. The head of a homing pigeon iscomparatively small, but its brain is one quarter larger than that of theordinary pigeon. The homing pigeon is very intelligent and will persevere tothe point of stubbornness; some have been known to fly a hundred miles offcourse to avoid a storm. Some homing pigeon experts claim thatthis bird is gifted with a form of built-in radar that helps it find its ownloft after hours of flight, for hidden under the head feathers are two verysensitive ears, while the sharp, prominent eyes can see great distances indaytime. Why do homing pigeons fly home? They arenot unique in this inherent skill; it is found in most migratory birds, inbees, ants, toads, and even turtles, which have been known to travel hundredsof miles to return to their homes. But in the animal world, the homing pigeonalone can be trusted with its freedom and trained to carry out the missionsthat people demand. | 
