Tesla's Love of Pigeons

Nikola Tesla's love of pigeons goes back 73 years. A school boy in Yugoslavia, he was so thrilled with a beautiful pair of pigeons owned by his teacher that the schoolmaster gave them to him. Looking back on his long life, the man who was to become internationally known in electricity, holds that no gift of honor ever gave him more pleasure. For hours, he studied the play of light on the plumage of the two birds, finding in the colors endless combinations and each seemingly more beautiful than the others. Closing his eyes, he can still see that proud pair of pigeons mincing along in the sunlight. American pigeons cannot approach those of the old world for brilliance of plumage, he holds. Nevertheless, he so loves all pigeons that he cares for those New York street pigeons that so often need human assistance.