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About us
The Pigeoncote cares for lost and injured pigeon, and is a non culling pigeon refuge, located in Olympia, WA USA. We have been in continuous service since 1993.
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Animals in War
- By Jilly Cooper
- 2002 ISBN 1 58574 729 7
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From ancient time's right up to today, all sorts of brave
animals, including pigeons, have been drawn into the service of armed forces.
Some are skilled specialists, such as homing pigeons, and mine sniffing dogs,
while other has been our beasts of burden. They have all shown their incredible
resilience. Jilly Cooper notes that this is not a pretty story, and how can
it be. But yet her pages are filled with both sweet and comic stories of
one who has true affection for all we have pressed into unthinkable service.
This copy even brings us up to date informing us of the efforts dogs made
in our behalf during the rescue work at the World Trade Center. Jilly tells
their story. |
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$10 US 2002 printing 222pp Mint paperback no jacket. ISBN 1-58574-729-7 |
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2000 English printed version |
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$11 Mint paperback no jacket, ISBN 0-552-99091-4 |
Cher Ami
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Now Cher Ami is a little pigeon in a big museum. Now this
little gray pigeon with black-and-gray checkered wings stands all by himself
in a tall, glass case in the National Museum in Washington. Surrounded by
huge guns and war tanks, he looks strangely out of place, very, very small,
and a bit pathetic too. One leg is gone and in the middle of the rumpled
feathers on his breast there is a tiny wound. Yet his bright eyes, which
day after day gaze out through his glass home, make you understand that once
he winged his way, ever so swiftly and gaily, over the hilltops and through
the valleys, quite close to the blue sky and feathery clouds. But you also
know that he did much more than that. Cher Ami is there in the Museum because
he is one of America's heroes, and this is his story |
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$85 First Edition 1934, excellent hardback without jacket. |
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$60 First Edition 1934, very good hardback without jacket. |
Pigeon Heroes
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| This nice hardback copy of Pigeon Heroes is very nice for its
age. While hardback it is not an ex library copy, or at least if it
was, there are no markings of any kind. The pages have started to tan somewhat
due to age, but not foxing rips or tears. A very nice copy of this
difficult to find book |
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$90 Hardback, very good but no jacket |
Cher Ami
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There is another book with the title of Cher Ami that is
not at all like Cothren's book and predates her book by that title by several
years. Cher Ami must have been popular during the post war period. This is
a book of poems that, of course, includes one of our favorite WWI pigeon
Hero. In the authors own words "The majority of the poems in this collection
have been published heretofore under the title of "Poems from France." The
popularity of the carrier pigeon has led me to change the title and give
it the new name of "Cher Ami."
This special and limited edition has been printed because both the fourth
edition illustrated, and the "Selections" from it, have been exhausted. This
collection contains a revision of some of the original poems, and the addition
of several new ones.
It has been a source of deep gratification to know, after having addressed
over a million and a half of the children of America in about four-fifths
of the |: states, that many of these poems have found acceptance for their
moral, spiritual, and patriotic values. Interesting to note, how little the
"definition" of patriotism has changed so little over the ensuing years. |
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$20 Very good hardback without jacket.
1926 1st illustrated edition. |
Airlift 1870
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It is ironic that in the first war in which the
commander-in-chief of one side used mass propaganda as a serious weapon,
Paris the capital of the opposing country was completely cut off from
communication with the outside world. But using an age old method of
communications, the pigeon, married with the cutting edge technology developed
there from the need, Paris found a way to communicate with the outside world.
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| For almost four months from September 1870 to January 1871
during which Paris was besieged by the Prussian army, and Bismarck and his
aides poured out misleading information to lower the morale of Frenchmen,
a small band of men were able to use what had till then been a hobby or a
means of entertainment in the service of their country.
Had it not been for the promptness of the balloonists of Paris to realize
that they alone had the sure means to escape from the besieged city, and
to put themselves at the disposal of the Government, the break in communication
with the rest of France - and in particular with those responsible for the
remaining war effort -would have been complete. Soon, however, balloonists
were leaving almost daily, carrying over the very heads of the Prussian army
not only passengers - some of them very important - and letters but also
the racing pigeons which were to supply the vital link in the return direction.
The intriguing story of the balloon and pigeon post in the siege of Paris
is graphically related here and gives a fascinating insight into an unusual
aspect of nineteenth-century warfare. |
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$15 1965 1st Edition excellent hardback
with good jacket |
From Pigeons to People
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So you thought pigeons were dumb? Elizabeth Hall,
author of the highly successful Why We Do What We Do, has written a lucid,
lively introduction to the subject of behavior modification. Taking a balanced
approach to a controversial area of psychology, she explains its history,
development, and application. She covers how pigeons were taught to
identify imperfect pill better than people, and through the book we learn
just how much we learned about us from pigeons and other animals. She covers
the beginning with B. F. Skinner's now famous experiments with pigeons, she
shows how pigeons were trained by instant reward, or positive reinforcement,
to guide missiles before the invention of radar. She tells of dozens of
fascinating experiments where the principles of behavior modification have
been used to effect a variety of changes from curing pets of their bad habits
to helping children get better reactions from their teachers. She even shows
how individuals can apply these principles to themselves, thus getting rid
of their own bad habits - such as smoking or overeating -or developing good
ones-such as learning how to concentrate or to study. I can't verify
this personally because there are no bad habits I wish to rid myself of.
From Pigeons to People displays the same clarity of thinking, readability,
and accuracy that caused Why We Do What We Do to receive an Honorable Mention
in the book' category of the 1974 National Media Awards of The American
Psychological Foundation. 1974 National Media Awards of the American
Psychological Foundation, Honorable Mention. "A straightforward, holding
introduction to areas studied in modern psychology." Booklist "A very good
overview of psychological processes and animal behavior clarified by descriptions
of experimental research . . . includes chapters on motivation, emotions,
learning, memory, thinking, and personality."
"Lively, lucid, and learnable." Journal of Biological Psychology. |
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$10 1975 Very good hardback, no dust jacket. ISBN
0-395-21894-2 |
Pigeon to Packhorse
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The story of the the use of animals in the British & Indian Armies
in signals & communications. Information drawn from the archives of the
Royal Signals Museum on the Telegraph Troop, camels & communications,
messenger dogs, the pigeon service, mules, elephants & horses. Contains
some line drawings from the 1937 Manual of Horsemastership, Equitation &
Animal Transport, & some others from the Manual of Instruction for the
use of homing pigeons in India & S E Asia. (Published: 1989) (Publisher:
Picton Publishing Ltd.) (ISBN: 0948251425) (Pagination: viii + 114pp, 107
photos and line drawings etc, 3 maps and diagrams |
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$42 Mint hardback 1st 1989, no jacket |
Feathered Heroes
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Feather Heroes is the story of pigeons from the time
of the Egyptian empire up to the present. Well ,WWII. The first edition was
published in 1968 as a hard back with 127pp. But it covers more than just
military aspects of these feathered athletes, proving insight into the sport
pigeon racing as well as the hobby of pigeon breeding and showing. |
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$31 First edition, very good hardback
with good jacket. Does have library discard stamps. |
The Pigeons that went to War
| Picture not yet available |
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| Looking for a copy. Do you have one you can let go? |
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Silent Heroes: The Bravery & Devotion of Animals in War
They Had No Choice: Racing Pigeons At War
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During both of the world wars of the last century, many
unsung animal heroes played their unique part in the defense of their countries,
despite having no choice in doing so. Pigeons were used for vital communications,
to carry messages across Europe and the Middle East, in both of the conflicts.
Indeed, over thirty of these remarkable birds were actually awarded what
is considered the "Animal VC", the Dicken Medal.
This is a rousing history of pigeon fancying, and of the ware effort of the
birds and their handlers. It is a beautifully illustrated work, with over
fifty illustrations, from both professional archives and personal collections.
The book features such inspiring stories as that of White Vision, a remarkable
bird that flew for nine hours through a storm, from a ditched Coastal Command
Catalina, carrying the location of its stranded crew back to its loft and
ensuring the crew's safety. |
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$80 Excellent paperback with the exception that the corners
have been bumped. |
Courageous Couriers
- By Jerome J. Pratt Lieutenant Colonel U.S.A. retired
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$120 Very good paperback 136pp. Would be
excellent except for a couple of previous owner's signatures, and corners
have been bumped a little |
Animal Heroes
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This first edition printed in 1905 is in very good condition.
There are no owner's inscriptions or similar marks. The cover
has faded with age some and the pages have started to tan. The pages were
of the "uncut" variety so they are a bit rough on the side and bottom. The
pigeon story is that of Arnaux. From the author's own words "Arnaux
is so nearly historical that several who knew the bird have supplied additional
items of information. The nest of the destroying Peregrines, with its
owners and their young, is now to be seen in the American Museum of Natural
History of New York. The Museum authorities inform me that Pigeon badges
with the following numbers were found in the nest: 9970-8, 1696, u- 63, 77,
J. F. 52, Ex. 705, 6-1894, C 20900. Perhaps some Pigeon-lover may learn from
these lines the fate of one or other wonderful flier that has long been recorded
" never returned." |
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$30 Hard back in very good condition without jacket. |
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$18 1987 paperback reprint in near excellent
condition, but only very good because covers are scuffed |
Signal Corps, U.S. Army Message Book M-210
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From the first page of this original and mint message book
for its age we find the following instructions.
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- 1. Preparation of at least two carbon copies is required, the original and
one carbon. Copy to be delivered to the message center and the other carbon
copy to be retained in the book (or writer's file.
- 2. Print plainly. Print proper names (except signature and grade of writer)
and code or cipher groups in CAPITALS.
- 3. Write the message in as few words as possible. If the writer desires
punctuation marks transmitted they must be spelled out, otherwise they will
not be sent.
- 4. Use only authorized abbreviations.
- 5. If a classification in speed 01 handling other than routine is desired,
print in CAPITALS the desired classification in the space indicated (examples:
PRIORITY or URGENT).
- 6. "No."-Enter the serial number given the message by the writer.
- 7. "Date."-enter the date in the following order: Day, month, year (example:
- 23 Feb42).
- 8. "To."-Enter the official designation of the person addressed (example:
CO 1st Inf). Add his actual location only when necessary to insure delivery.
Do not use the telephone directory designations as addresses.
- 9. "Official designation of sender."-Enter the official capacity in which
the writer is serving (examples: "CO 1st Bn 1st Inf" or "Leader, Patrol No.
1").
- 10. "Time signed."-must always be filled in as: for the 24-hour time system,
0135 or for the old 12-hour time system, 1:35 AM and for the 24-hour time
system, 1445 or for the old 12-hour time system, 2:45 PM.
- 11. In time of war or emergency, all messages to be transmitted by radio,
or by other means when danger of hostile interception exists, are cryptographed
unless authority to send in clear is given by the CO or his authorized
representative. This authority must be indicated in lower left corner.
- 12. "Signature and grade of writer."-Enter the personal signature of the
writer of the message or of the person who may be authorized to write the
message for him.
- 13. There are in the back of this book tissue sheets for pigeon messages
and tracing paper for sketches or tracings.
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$25 Mint for its age. Complete, but the staples have
rusted a bit. |
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Heroic Pigeons
- By Arch Whitehouse
- Published 1965
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The sleek fighter planes of modern times are today's warriors
with wings. While the electronic age has grounded the homing pigeon, the
story of these undaunted couriers remains a part of our military history.
Mission after mission these winged messengers have doggedly flown to their
home base, sometimes responsible for the rescue of whole battalions.
Arch Whitehouse tells the story of the famous pigeon heroes-from GI Joe who
saved the lives of 1,000 British troops at Colvi Vecchia to Cher Ami, famed
World War I pigeon who rescued the Lost Battalion on October 4, 1918.
Decorated for their loyal and invaluable service, pigeons have received Purple
Hearts and Croix de Guerre. As Arch Whitehouse weaves their flight history,
the homing pigeons of yesterday become gallant birds, heroes in every meaning
of the word. |
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$15 Very good hardback with mylar jacket. Has
library stamps but not abused in any other way. |
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