A law of the 3d of July, 1877, supplemented by a decree of the 15th of
November, organized the application of carrier pigeons in France.

One of the last enumerations shows that there exist in Paris 11,000 pigeons, 5,000 of which are trained, and, in the suburbs, 7,000, of which 3,000 are trained.  At Roubaix, a city of 100,000 inhabitants, there are 15,000 pigeons.  Watrelos, a small neighboring city of 10,000 inhabitants, has no less than 3,000 carrier pigeons belonging to three societies, the oldest of which, that of Saint-Esprit, was founded in 1869.

In entire France, there are about 100,000 trained pigeons, and forty-seven departments having pigeon-fancying societies.

Germany.—­After the war of 1870, Prussia, which had observed the services rendered by pigeons during the siege of Paris, was the first power to organize military dove cotes.

In the autumn of 1871, the Minister of War commissioned Mr. Leutzen, a very competent amateur of Cologne, to study the most favorable processes for the recruitment, rearing, and training of carrier pigeons, as well as for the organization of a system of stations upon the western frontier.

In 1872, Mr. Bismarck having received a number of magnificent Belgian pigeons as a present, a rearing station was established at the Zoological Garden of Berlin, under the direction of Dr. Bodinas.

In 1874 military dove cotes were installed at Cologne, Metz, Strassburg, and Berlin.  Since that time there have been organized, or at least projected, about fifteen new stations upon the frontier of France, upon the maritime coasts of the north, or upon the Russian frontier.

Berlin remains the principal rearing station, with two pigeon houses of 500 pigeons each; but it is at Cologne that is centralized the general administration of military dove cotes under Mr. Leutzen’s direction.  The other stations are directly dependent upon the commandant of the place, under the control of the inspector of military telegraphy.  The Wilhelmshaven dove cote, by way of exception, depends upon the Admiralty.  In each dove cote there is a subofficer of the engineer corps and an experienced civil pigeon fancier, on a monthly salary of ninety marks, assisted by two orderlies.  In time of war, this personnel has to be doubled and commanded by an officer.

The amount appropriated to the military dove cotes, which in 1875 was about 13,000 francs, rose in 1888 to more than 60,000 francs.

As a rule, each dove cote should be provided with 1,000 pigeons, but this number does not appear to have been yet reached except at Thorn, Metz, and Strassburg.

Germany has not confined herself to the organization of military dove cotes, but, like other nations, has endeavored to aid and direct pigeon fancying, so as to be able, when necessary, to find ready prepared resources in the civil dove cotes.  The generals make it their duty to be present, as far as possible, at the races of private societies, and the Emperor awards gold medals for flights of more than 120 miles.