bigness of the Jacobines.

The Carrier Pigeon is the next I shall take notice of; it is so call'd from
the Use which is sometimes made of them in carrying of Letters to and fro:
It is very sure that they are nimble Messengers, for by experience it is
found, that one of these Pigeons will fly three Miles in a Minute, or from
_St. Albans_ to _London_ in seven Minutes, which has been try'd; and I am
inform'd, that they have been sent of a much longer Message: however, they
might certainly be made very useful in Dispatches, which required speed, if
we were to train them regularly between one House and another. We have an
account of them passing and repassing with Advices between _Hirtius_ and
_Brutus_, at the Siege of _Modena_, who had, by laying Meat for them in
some high Places, instructed their Pigeons to fly from place to place for
their Meat, having before kept them hungry, and shut up in a dark Place.
These are about the size of common Pigeons, and of a dark blue or blackish
Colour, which is one way of distinguishing them from other sorts: they are
also remarkable for having their Eyes compass'd about with a broad Circle
of naked spungy Skin, and for having the upper Chap of their Beak cover'd
more than half from the Head with a double Crust of the like naked fungous
Body. The Bill, or Beak, is moderately long, and black. These Birds are of
that Nature, that tho' they are carried many Miles from the place where
they were bred, or brought up, or have themselves hatch'd, or bred up any
young ones, they will immediately return home as soon as we let them fly.
Perhaps this may, in some measure, depend upon the Affection the Male or
Female bear to one another. When they are to be used as Carriers, two
Friends must agree to keep them, one in _London_, and the other at
_Guilford_, or elsewhere; the Person that lives at _Guilford_ must take two
or three Cocks or Hens that were bred at his Friend's at _London_, and the
other two or three that were bred at _Guilford_; when the Person at
_London_ has occasion to send an Express, he must roll up a little piece of