Interesting Cases
(Internet Published) Mar 2001
I had a letter from a Tippler man who told me that his Tipplers sometimes
flew into the clouds for a long time. Shortly afterwards, I had a second
letter to tell me that his Tipplers had returned after an exercise with
burned feet and belly feathers. Well, they didn't get these burns in the
clouds - That is for sure. The man reckons that the burns were caused by
flames or chemicals, so his Tipplers must have been down somewhere.
A parallel case came to light many, many years ago in Sheffield, England. A
flier and his referee had maintained watch on a kit of 3 Macclesfield Hens
all day finding no faults. Regular appearances had been recorded and the
style of flying indicated no suspicion of dropping away. However, when the
kit was called down, lofted and band checked some grey sludge was found on
the pigeons feet, later said to be shale sludge from a nearby coal mine tip.
The owner promptly dislocated the necks of all 3 Macs and the referee said
that he would have to report the matter to the local Tippler Committee.
The panel, consisting of the president and two senior members deplored the
incident. Then spoke Dr. Lionel Wilson, a respected flier. He said
"Gentlemen, it is coming to something when we have to carry out forensics to
try and prove defecting". Then spoke the owner "Gentleman, I know nothing
about forensics, but my kit collected mine sludge from the Tinsley Park mine
and were of no further use to me or anybody else".
Then spoke the President, "Gentlemen, this had been a bad business and
creates all manner of doubt about any kit that disappears, as indeed all
kits do. I would have preferred not to have been here today and I wish that
I had gone fishing instead. No further action or debate is appropriate".