Motor Matt's Prize; or, The Pluck That Wins
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PIGEONS AS PHOTOGRAPHERS.
Many wonderful feats have been credited to the instinct of the homingor carrier pigeon, but "the limit," to quote the phrase of the moment,seems to have been reached by Herr Neubronner, a Kronberg chemist, whohas actually trained pigeons to take photographs. For some time HerrNeubronner has been utilizing pigeons, not only for the transmissionof messages to doctors in the neighborhood, but also to carry smallquantities of medicine. The latter are inclosed in glove fingers slungabout the birds' wings. The method has proved entirely successful,experiments showing that the pigeon can carry a properly distributedload of 2-1/2 ounces a distance of 100 miles.
Toward the end of last year one of the birds lost its way and did notarrive at its cote until after the expiration of four weeks. Therewas, of course, no means of ascertaining where and how the bird hadgot lost. It then occurred to Herr Neubronner that a pigeon, equippedwith a self-acting camera, would bring in a photographic record ofits journey. He thereupon constructed a camera, weighing less than3 ounces, which he fixed to the bird's breast by an elastic strap,leaving the wings completely free. The process of snapshotting is,of course, automatic. At regular intervals the machine operates by aclockwork arrangement, and registers pictures of the various placescovered by the bird in its flight.
The German government has taken a keen interest in Herr Neubronner'snotion of utilizing pigeons as photographers, and there certainly seemgreat possibilities in the idea. The carrier-pigeon photographer wouldprove extremely valuable for obtaining information in times of war ofthe country, position, and strength of the enemy.
The carrier pigeon flies at a height of between 150 feet and 300 feet,safe from small shot and very difficult to hit with bullets. Pigeonsmight be released from air ships at any height within the enemy'slines, and they would carry home with them pictures of great value. Thecarrier pigeon is peculiarly well suited to service of this character,because when set free in a strange place it commences its flight bydescribing a spiral curve, in the course of which several picturescould be taken from various points of view.
Then, when the pigeon has determined the position of its goal, it fliesthither in a straight line at a uniform speed of about 40 miles anhour. As the moment of exposure can be regulated with a fair amount ofprecision, the object which it is desired to photograph can generallybe caught.
In besieged fortresses information concerning the besiegers can beobtained by tumbler pigeons, which, when released at their home, fly incircles for a time and then return to their cotes.