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| author | Roger Frank <rfrank@pglaf.org> | 2025-10-14 18:56:02 -0700 |
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| committer | Roger Frank <rfrank@pglaf.org> | 2025-10-14 18:56:02 -0700 |
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diff --git a/44729-h/44729-h.htm b/44729-h/44729-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..e1b999e --- /dev/null +++ b/44729-h/44729-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,7780 @@ +<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN" + "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd"> +<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"> +<head> +<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" /> +<title>The Project Gutenberg eBook of The Passenger Pigeon, by Various</title> + <style type="text/css"> + +body { + margin-left: 10%; + margin-right: 10%; +} + + +p { + margin-top: .51em; + text-align: justify; + text-indent: 1.5em; + margin-bottom: .49em; +} +.p0 {text-indent: 0;} +.pmt2 {margin-top: 2em;} +.pmt4 {margin-top: 4em;} +.pmb2 {margin-bottom: 2em;} +.pmb4 {margin-bottom: 4em;} + +hr { + width: 33%; + margin-top: 2em; + margin-bottom: 2em; + margin-left: auto; + margin-right: auto; + clear: both; +} + +hr.tb {width: 45%;} +hr.chap {width: 65%} +hr.full {width: 95%;} + +table { + margin-left: auto; + margin-right: auto; +} + + .tdl {text-align: left;} + .tdr {text-align: right;} + .tdr2 {text-align: right; padding-right:1em;} +.rowsp1 td {padding-bottom: 0.5em;} +.pagenum { /* uncomment the next line for invisible page numbers */ + /* visibility: hidden; */ + position: absolute; + left: 92%; + font-size: smaller; + text-align: right; +} /* page numbers */ + +.blockquot { + margin-left: 5%; + margin-right: 10%; +} +.hanging {text-indent:-1.5em; margin-left:1.5em;} + +.bdb {border-bottom: solid 2px;} +.bbox {border: solid 2px;} + +.center {text-align: center;} +.vtop {vertical-align: top;} +.smcap {font-variant: small-caps;} +.smaller {font-size: 0.75em;} +.orange {color: #ff5c1f; font-weight:bolder; font-size:1.25em;} +.dropcap { + float: left; + clear: left; + margin-left: 0; + margin-right: 0.25em; + padding: 0; + text-align: center; + font-size: 3em; +} +.hidden {color: #808080; display: none;} + +.gesperrt +{ + letter-spacing: 0.2em; + margin-right: -0.2em; +} + +em.gesperrt +{ + font-style: normal; +} + +.fig_title {font-weight: bold; font-size:1.25em; text-align:center; margin: auto;} +.fig_caption {font-weight: bold; font-size:0.8em; text-align:center; margin: auto;} +.caption1 {font-weight: bold; font-size:2.0em; text-align:center; text-indent:0;} +.caption2 {font-weight: bold; font-size:1.5em; text-align:center; text-indent:0;} +.caption3 {font-weight: bold; font-size:1.25em; text-align:center; text-indent:0;} +.caption4 {font-weight: bold; font-size:0.75em; text-align:center; text-indent:0;} + +/* Images */ +.figcenter { + margin: auto; + text-align: center; +} + +/* Footnotes */ +.footnote {margin-left: 10%; margin-right: 10%; font-size: 0.9em;} +.footnote .label {position: absolute; right: 84%; text-align: right;} +.footnt_cntr {font-size: 0.9em; text-align: center;} +.footnt_cntr .label {text-decoration: none; text-align: right;} + +.fnanchor { + vertical-align: super; + font-size: .8em; + text-decoration: none; +} + + +/* Transcriber's notes */ +.transnote {background-color: #E6E6FA; + color: black; + font-size:smaller; + padding:0.5em; + margin-bottom:5em; + font-family:sans-serif, serif; } + + hr.pg { width: 100%; + margin-top: 3em; + margin-bottom: 0em; + margin-left: auto; + margin-right: auto; + height: 4px; + border-width: 4px 0 0 0; /* remove all borders except the top one */ + border-style: solid; + border-color: #000000; + clear: both; } + </style> +</head> +<body> +<div>*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 44729 ***</div> +<h1 class="center">The Project Gutenberg eBook, The Passenger Pigeon, by Various, Edited by +W. B. Mershon</h1> +<p> </p> +<p> </p> +<table border="0" style="background-color: #ccccff;margin: 0 auto;" cellpadding="10"> + <tr> + <td valign="top"> + Note: + </td> + <td> + Images of the original pages are available through + Internet Archive. See + <a href="https://archive.org/details/passengerpigeon00mers"> + https://archive.org/details/passengerpigeon00mers</a> + </td> + </tr> +</table> +<p> </p> +<hr class="pg" /> +<p> </p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 377px;"> +<img src="images/cover.jpg" width="377" height="557" alt="" /> +</div> + +<hr class="chap" /> + + + +<p class="pmb2"><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_i" id="Page_i">[i]</a><br /> +<a name="Page_ii" id="Page_ii">[ii]</a></span></p> + +<p class="caption1 pmt4 pmb4">The Passenger Pigeon</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 442px;"> +<img src="images/frontis.png" width="442" height="663" alt="" /> +<p class="fig_title">PASSENGER PIGEON (<i>Columba Migratoria</i>)</p> +<p class="fig_caption">Upper bird, male; lower, female</p> +</div> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_iii" id="Page_iii">[iii]</a></span></p> + + +<p class="caption1 smcap pmt2"><span class="orange">T</span>he</p> + +<p class="caption1 smcap"><span class="orange">P</span>assenger <span class="orange">P</span>igeon</p> + +<p class="caption3">BY</p> + +<p class="caption2 pmb2">W. B. MERSHON</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 125px;"> +<img src="images/logo.png" width="125" height="119" alt="" /> +</div> +<p class="caption3 pmt2 pmb2">NEW YORK<br /> +<span class="orange">THE OUTING PUBLISHING COMPANY</span><br /> +1907<br /> +</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_iv" id="Page_iv">[iv]</a></span></p> + +<p class="caption3 pmt4 pmb4"> +Copyright, 1907, by<br /> +W B MERSHON<br /> +<br /> +THE OUTING PRESS<br /> +DEPOSIT, N. Y.<br /> +</p> + +<hr class="full" /> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_v" id="Page_v">[v]</a></span></p> + + + + +<p class="caption2"><a name="CONTENTS" id="CONTENTS">CONTENTS</a></p> + +<table class="rowsp1" summary="ToC"> +<tr> + <td class="smaller tdl" colspan="2">CHAPTER</td> + <td class="smaller tdr">PAGE</td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td style="width:3em;"></td> + <td><span class="smcap">Introduction</span></td> + <td class="tdr">ix</td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td class="tdr2 vtop"><a href="#CHAPTER_I">I</a></td> + <td><span class="smcap">My Boyhood Among the Pigeons</span></td> + <td class="tdr">1</td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td class="tdr2 vtop"><a href="#CHAPTER_II">II</a></td> + <td><span class="smcap">The Passenger Pigeon</span><br /> + <i>From "American Ornithology," by Alexander Wilson</i></td> + <td class="tdr vtop">9</td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td class="tdr2 vtop"><a href="#CHAPTER_III">III</a></td> + <td><span class="smcap">The Passenger Pigeon</span><br /> + <i>From "Ornithological Biography," by John James Audubon</i></td> + <td class="tdr vtop">25</td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td class="tdr2 vtop"><a href="#CHAPTER_IV">IV</a></td> + <td><span class="smcap">As James Fenimore Cooper Saw It</span></td> + <td class="tdr">41</td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td class="tdr2 vtop"><a href="#CHAPTER_V">V</a></td> + <td><span class="smcap">The Wild Pigeon of North America</span><br /> + <i>By Chief Pokagon, in "The Chautauquan"</i></td> + <td class="tdr vtop">48</td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td class="tdr2 vtop"><a href="#CHAPTER_VI">VI</a></td> + <td><span class="smcap">The Passenger Pigeon</span><br /> + <i>From "Life Histories of North American Birds," by Charles Bendire</i></td> + <td class="tdr vtop">60</td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td class="tdr2 vtop"><a href="#CHAPTER_VII">VII</a></td> + <td><span class="smcap">Netting the Pigeons</span><br /> + <i>By William Brewster, in "The Auk"</i></td> + <td class="tdr vtop">74</td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td class="tdr2 vtop"><a href="#CHAPTER_VIII">VIII</a></td> + <td><span class="smcap">Efforts to Check the Slaughter</span><br /> + <i>By Prof. H. B. Roney</i></td> + <td class="tdr vtop">77</td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td class="tdr2 vtop"><a href="#CHAPTER_IX">IX</a></td> + <td><span class="smcap">The Pigeon Butcher's Defense</span><br /> + <i>By E. T. Martin, in "American Field"</i></td> + <td class="tdr vtop">93</td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td class="tdr2 vtop"><a href="#CHAPTER_X">X</a></td> + <td><span class="smcap">Notes of a Vanished Industry</span></td> + <td class="tdr">105</td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td class="tdr2 vtop"><a href="#CHAPTER_XI">XI</a></td> + <td><span class="smcap">Recollections of "Old Timers"</span></td> + <td class="tdr">119</td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td class="tdr2 vtop"><a href="#CHAPTER_XII">XII</a></td> + <td><span class="smcap">The Last of the Pigeons</span></td> + <td class="tdr">141</td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td class="tdr2 vtop"><a href="#CHAPTER_XIII">XIII</a></td> + <td><span class="smcap">What Became of the Wild Pigeon?</span><br /> + <i>By Sullivan Cook, in "Forest and Stream"</i> + <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_vi" id="Page_vi">[vi]</a></span></td> + <td class="tdr vtop">163</td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td class="tdr2 vtop"><a href="#CHAPTER_XIV">XIV</a></td> + <td><span class="smcap">A Novel Theory of Extinction</span><br /> + <i>By C. H. Ames and Robert Ridgway</i></td> + <td class="tdr vtop">173</td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td class="tdr2 vtop"><a href="#CHAPTER_XV">XV</a></td> + <td><span class="smcap">News from John Burroughs</span></td> + <td class="tdr">179</td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td class="tdr2 vtop"><a href="#CHAPTER_XVI">XVI</a></td> + <td><span class="smcap">The Pigeon in Manitoba</span><br /> + <i>By George E. Atkinson</i></td> + <td class="tdr vtop">186</td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td class="tdr2 vtop"><a href="#CHAPTER_XVII">XVII</a></td> + <td><span class="smcap">The Passenger Pigeon in Confinement</span><br /> + <i>By Ruthven Deane, in "The Auk"</i></td> + <td class="tdr vtop">200</td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td class="tdr2 vtop"><a href="#CHAPTER_XVIII">XVIII</a></td> + <td><span class="smcap">Nesting Habits of the Passenger Pigeon</span><br /> + <i>By Dr. Morris Gibbs, in "The Oölogist"</i></td> + <td class="tdr vtop">209</td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td class="tdr2 vtop"><a href="#CHAPTER_XIX">XIX</a></td> + <td><span class="smcap">Miscellaneous Notes</span></td> + <td class="tdr">217</td> +</tr> +</table> + + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_vii" id="Page_vii">[vii]</a></span></p> + + +<p class="caption2"><a name="ILLUSTRATIONS" id="ILLUSTRATIONS">ILLUSTRATIONS</a></p> + + +<table class="rowsp1" summary="LoI"> +<tr> + <td></td> + <td class="smaller tdr">FACING PAGE</td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td><span class="smcap">The Passenger Pigeon</span><br /> + <i>By Louis Agassiz Fuertes</i></td> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_ii"><i>Frontispiece</i></a></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td><span class="smcap">Audubon Plate</span> (<i>color</i>)</td> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#fp24">24</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td><span class="smcap">Passenger Pigeon and Mourning Dove</span></td> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#fp88">88</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td><span class="smcap">Fac-simile of "Among the Pigeons"</span></td> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#fp92">92</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td><span class="smcap">H. T. Phillip's Store</span></td> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#fp104">104</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td><span class="smcap">Band-tailed Pigeon</span> (<i>color</i>)</td> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#fp130">130</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td><span class="smcap">Comparative Size of Pigeon and Dove</span></td> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#fp156">156</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td><span class="smcap">Young Passenger Pigeon</span></td> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#fp198">198</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td><span class="smcap">Pigeon Net</span></td> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#fp218">218</a></td> +</tr> +</table> + + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_viii" id="Page_viii">[viii]</a><br /> +<a name="Page_ix" id="Page_ix">[ix]</a></span></p> + + + + +<p class="caption2"><a name="INTRODUCTION" id="INTRODUCTION">INTRODUCTION</a></p> + +<div class="dropcap">F</div> + +<p class="p0"><span class="hidden">F</span>OR the last three years I have spent most of my +leisure time in collecting as much material as +possible which might help to throw light on the +oft-repeated query, "What has become of the wild +pigeons?" The result of this labor of love is scarcely +more than a compilation, and I am under many obligations +to those who have so cheerfully assisted me. I +have given them credit by name in connection with their +various contributions, but I wish that I might have +been able to give them the more finished and literary setting +that would have been within the reach of a trained +writer or scientist. I am merely a business man who is +interested in the Passenger Pigeon because he loves the +outdoors and its wild things, and sincerely regrets the +cruel extinction of one of the most interesting natural +phenomena of his own country. If I have been able to +make a compilation that otherwise would not have been +available for the interested reader, I need make no +further apologies for the imperfect manner of my treatment +of this subject.</p> + +<p>It is hard for us of an older generation to realize that +as recently as 1880 the Passenger Pigeon was thronging +in countless millions through large areas of the Middle +West, and that in our boyhood we could find no exaggeration +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_x" id="Page_x">[x]</a></span> +in the records of such earlier observers as +Alexander Wilson, the ornithologist, who said that +these birds associated in such prodigious numbers as +almost to surpass belief, and that their numbers had no +parallel among any other feathered tribes on the face +of the earth; or that one of their "roosts" would kill +the trees over thousands of acres as completely as if +the whole forest had been girdled with an ax.</p> + +<p>Audubon estimated that an average flock of these +pigeons contained a billion and a quarter of birds, which +consumed more than eight and a half million bushels of +mast in a day's feeding. They were slain by millions +during the middle of the last century, and from one +region in Michigan in one year three million Passenger +Pigeons were killed for market, while in that roost alone +as many more perished because of the barbarous +methods of hunting them. They supplied a means of +living for thousands of hunters, who devastated their +flocks with nets and guns, and even with fire. Yet so +vast were their numbers that after thirty years of +observation Audubon was able to say that "even in the +face of such dreadful havoc nothing but the diminution +of our forests can accomplish their decrease."</p> + +<p>Many theories have been advanced to account for the +disappearance of the wild pigeons, among them that +their migration may have been overwhelmed by some +cyclonic disturbance of the atmosphere which destroyed +their myriads at one blow. The big "nesting" of 1878 +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_xi" id="Page_xi">[xi]</a></span> +in Michigan was undoubtedly the last large migration, +but the pigeons continued to nest infrequently in Michigan +and the North for several years after that, and +until as late as 1886 they were trapped for market or +for trap-shooting. Therefore the pigeons did not +become extinct in a day; nor did one tremendous catastrophe +wipe them from the face of the earth. They +gradually became fewer and existed for twenty years +or more after the date set as that of the final extermination.</p> + +<p>At one time the wild pigeons covered the entire north +from the Gaspé Peninsula to the Red River of the +North. Separate nestings and flights were of regular +yearly occurrence over this vast eastern and northern +expanse. Gradually civilization, molestation and warfare +drove them from the Atlantic seaboard west, until +Michigan was their last grand rendezvous, in which +region their mighty hosts congregated for the final +grand nesting in 1878. As late as 1845 they were quite +numerous on the Gaspé Peninsula of Quebec, but disappeared +from there about that time.</p> + +<p>The habits of the birds were such that they could +not thrive singly nor in small bodies, but were dependent +upon one another, and vast communities were necessary +to their very existence, while an enormous quantity of +food was necessary for their sustenance. The cutting +off of the forests and food supply interfered with their +plan of existence and drove them into new localities, +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_xii" id="Page_xii">[xii]</a></span> +and the ever increasing slaughter could not help but +lessen their once vast numbers.</p> + +<p>The Passenger Pigeon laid only one egg in its nest, +rarely two, and although it bred three or four times a +year it could not replenish the numbers slaughtered by +the professional netters. Undoubtedly millions of the +birds perished at various periods along the Great Lakes +country, becoming confused in foggy weather and dropping +from exhaustion into the water, while snow and +sleet storms at times caused great mortality among the +young birds, and even among the old ones, which often +arrived in the North before winter had passed.</p> + +<p>The history of the buffalo is repeated in that of the +wild pigeon, the extermination of which was inspired +by the same motive: the greed of man and the pursuit +of the almighty dollar. We lock the barn door after +the horse is stolen. Our white pine forests and timber +lands in general have been wantonly destroyed with no +thought for the future. The American people are +wasteful. They are just beginning to learn the need of +economy in the use of that which Nature has flung at +their feet. When one recalls the destruction of that +noble animal, the buffalo, frequently for nothing else +than so-called sport, or the removal of a robe; when +one thinks of the burning of forest trees which took +centuries to grow, merely to clear a piece of land to +raise crops, it is not to be wondered at that the wild +pigeon, insignificant, and not even classed as a game +bird, so soon became extinct.</p> + + + +<hr class="chap" /> + +<p class="pmb4"><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_1" id="Page_1">[1]</a></span></p> + +<p class="caption1 pmb2">The Passenger Pigeon</p> + +<hr class="chap" /> + + +<p class="caption2"><a name="CHAPTER_I" id="CHAPTER_I">CHAPTER I</a></p> + +<p class="caption2 pmb2">My Boyhood Among the Pigeons</p> + +<div class="dropcap">M</div> + +<p class="p0"><span class="hidden">M</span>Y boyhood was made active and wholesome +by a love for outdoor pastimes that had been +bred in me by generations of sport-loving +ancestors. From which side of the genealogical tree +this ardor for field and forest and open sky had come +with stronger influence I cannot say. While my father +was the one to use the fowling-piece and cast the fly +for the glorious speckled trout, my mother was a willing +conspirator, for it was she who packed the lunch basket, +often called us for the start in the gray morning, and +went along to "hold the horse" while we shot pigeons. +And when we were bent on a day in the woods in bracing +October weather she drove old Dolly sedately along the +winding trail, while I hunted one side of the woods and +father hunted the other. On such days we were after +partridges, of course, ruffed grouse, the king of all +game birds. Often mother marked them down and +told us just where they had crossed the road, or whether +the bird was hit, for the cloud of smoke from the +old black powder made seeing guesswork on our part. +She loved the dogs, too, those good old friends and +workers, Sport, Bob, and Ranger.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_2" id="Page_2">[2]</a></span></p> + +<p>I remember calling my mother to a window early one +morning and shouting: "See there! a flock of pigeons! +Ah, ha! April fool!" This time I did not deceive her +with the threadbare trick. The joke was "on me" for +once. There was a flight of pigeons that morning, the +first one of the season, and behind the foremost flock +another and another came streaming. Away from the +east side of the river at the north of the town, from near +Crow Island, they swept like a cloud. Crossing the +river to the west they reached the woods near Jerome's +mill and skirted the clearings or passed in waves over +the tree tops, back of John Winter's farm, and then +wheeled to the south. Out of the tongue of woodland, +just back of the Hermansau Church, they poured, thence +over the fields, too high to be shot, and then away to the +evergreens and stately pines of Pine Hill; on, on, on +across the Tittabawassee, to some feeding ground we +knew not how far away.</p> + +<p>Now that the pigeons had come they would "fly" +every morning. This we knew from years of observation +in the great migration belt of Michigan. They +would fly lower to-morrow morning, and in a day or two +more sweep low enough for the sixteen-gauge and the +number eight shot to reach them. Sometimes, even now, +forty years after the last of the great passenger pigeon +flights, I fall to day-dreaming and seem to hear myself +saying in the eager, piping tones of those golden boyhood +days:</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_3" id="Page_3">[3]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Mother, I am going for pigeons to-morrow morning! +Do call me if I oversleep. I must be awake by +four o'clock. We'll have pigeon pot-pie to-morrow. +I'm going to bed early so as to be sure to be up by daybreak. +Old Sport is going along to 'fetch' dead birds."</p> + +<p>"Hello, dad," cries a voice in my ear, "what are you +up to? What are you hustling around so for with your +old shot pouch and powder-flask? There's nothing to +shoot this time of the year."</p> + +<p>The spell is broken; my own boy fetches his daddy out +of his dream, and I am fairly caught in the act of +making an old fool of myself. My youngsters are +counting the days before May first when I have +promised to take them trout-fishing, and the smallest +boy found his first gun in his stocking last Christmas. +But they can know nothing at all about the joys and +excitement of pigeon shooting in the vanished days +when these birds fairly darkened the sky above our old +homestead. But I try to tell them what we used to do +and my story sounds something like this:</p> + +<p>"It is early in the spring, so early that a bunch of +snow may yet be found on the north side of the largest +of the fallen trees in the woods. Puddles that the melting +snow left in the hollows of the clearing are fringed +with ice this morning, and we look around and tell each +other, 'There was a frost last night.' The mud in the +road has stiffened, and the rutted cattle tracks are also +streaked and barred with ice. Yet winter has gone and +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_4" id="Page_4">[4]</a></span> +spring is here, for the buds are swelling on the twigs of +the elms and the pussy willows show their dainty, silvery +signals to tell us that the vernal equinox has come and +gone.</p> + +<p>"If the springtime is still young, so is the day. Light +is breaking in the gray sky of dawn as we hurry along +the slippery, sticky road. We must make haste to the +point of woods, by John Winter's clearing, before full +daybreak or the pigeons will be flying and we will miss +the early flocks which always keep nearest the ground.</p> + +<p>"You may be curious to know what we look like as +we trudge along in Indian file, eagerly chatting about +a kind of sport which this later generation knows nothing +about. I am a chunk of a country lad, topped by a +woolen cap with ear-tabs pulled down over my ears, a +tippet around my neck, yarn mittens on my hands, which +are sure to be badly skinned and chapped this time of +year from playing 'knuckle-down-tight.'</p> + +<p>"My 'every-day pants' are tucked into a pair of calf-skin +boots with square pieces of red leather for the tops, +an old-fashioned adornment dear to Young America of +my day. My old Irish water spaniel 'Sport' is tagging +behind or charging frantically ahead; my gun is a sixteen-gauge +muzzle loader, stub and twist barrels, with +dogs' heads for the hammers.</p> + +<p>"Dangling from one shoulder is a leather shot pouch +that cuts off one ounce of number eights for a load. +The sides of this pouch are embossed, on the one a +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_5" id="Page_5">[5]</a></span> +group of English woodcock, on the other a setter rampant. +Hanging at my left side by a green cord with a +tassel or two is my fluted copper powder flask, ready +to measure out two and three-fourths drams of coarse +Dupont or Curtis & Harvey powder.</p> + +<p>"My pockets are full of Ely's black-edged wads, for +I am a young nabob of sportsmen, let me tell you, and +I scorn to use tow or bits of newspaper for wadding. +My vest pocket holds the caps, G. D.'s or Ely's again, +for didn't I tell you that I was a nabob. The <i>pièce de +résistance</i> of this outfit is the game bag, the pride of my +eye, for it was a Christmas present, and this is its maiden +shooting trip. Suspended over the left shoulder so that +it will hang well back of the right hip, the strap that carries +it is broad and with many holes for the wondrous +buckle which can be shifted to hang it in the most comfortable +place, wherever that is, for when it is loaded +with game it will choke me almost to death, no matter +how I adjust it. This noble bag has two pockets, one +of them for luncheon, and on the outside is a netted +pocket, easy to get into and keeping the birds cool. I +nearly forgot to mention its magnificent fringe, which +hangs down from both sides and the bottom like the +war-bags of an Indian chief.</p> + +<p>"My companions are rigged out in much the same +fashion. They are grown men, however, for I don't +remember any other boys who shot pigeons with me. +Holabird or khaki hunting suits are as yet unknown, and +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_6" id="Page_6">[6]</a></span> +even corduroy coats are rare. The powder horn is seen +as often as the copper flask, and one hunter has a shot +belt with two compartments instead of the English +pouch. Of guns the assortment is as varied as the number +of hunters, but the old, hard-kicking army musket +with its iron ramrod is more popular than any other arm.</p> + +<p>"We reach the edge of the clearing not a minute too +soon. Now and then a distant shot tells us that we are +not the first hunters out afield this morning. The guns +are cracking everywhere along the road that skirts the +woodland, and back in, close to the 'chopping,' some +better wing-shots are posted by the openings into the +woods where the birds fly lower, but where the shooting +is more difficult. It is largely of the 'pick your bird' +style, for the flight of a pigeon is very swift, and when +they are darting among the tree-tops of a small forest +opening, rare skill is required to bag one's birds.</p> + +<p>"I prefer to take the flocks, even though they offer +me more distant targets, and soon my gun-barrels are +as hot as those of the rest of the skirmishers. Sometimes +two or three birds drop from a flock at a single +discharge, and then several shots may not fetch from +on high more than one or two of the long tail-feathers +spinning and twisting to the ground. It is fascinating +to watch the whirling, shining descent of one of these +feathers, and I pick up one and stick it in my cap as a +matter of habit.</p> + +<p>"This kind of pigeon shooting takes a good gun and +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_7" id="Page_7">[7]</a></span> +ammunition to kill a big bag as we bang away at long +range at the birds on their way to the morning feeding-ground. +The flight is over by half-past six o'clock and +I am home by seven o'clock ready for breakfast and +then to scamper off to school.</p> + +<p>"The pigeons in this particular locality have followed +the same routine as long as I have known them. They +only fly in the morning, always going in the same direction, +and I can't recall seeing them coming back again, +or flying later in the day. This habit holds until the +young squabs are in the nests in June, after which we are +likely to find pigeons almost anywhere, for their feeding +grounds become scattered and local.</p> + +<p>"One thing that annoys me in these brave days of +youth and sport is the poacher, the low-down fellow who +steals my birds. I am reckoned a pretty good shot, and +I have a first-rate gun, but I am only a boy, so the pigeon +thief thinks I am fair picking, and he saves his ammunition +by claiming every bird that drops anywhere near +him.</p> + +<p>"Another smart dodge of his is to fire into a flock +ahead or behind the one I am shooting at and then claim +whatever birds fall as the quarry of both our guns. If +he is not too big I try to lick him, but generally I have to +submit to the rascality unless I can persuade a grown-up +friend to take my part. Sometimes these villains hang +around my shooting ground without any guns at all, +and pick up as many birds as I do. Then I hunt around +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_8" id="Page_8">[8]</a></span> +for a father or an uncle to reinforce my protests and +there is a pretty row which ends in the interloper taking +to his heels to wait for a more propitious occasion.</p> + +<p>"When we are ready to carry our birds home we +pull out the four long tail-feathers and knot them +together at the tips. Then the quill ends are stuck +through the soft part of the lower mandible, and the +birds are strung together, eight or ten in a string. +These strings are bunched together by tying the quill +ends of the feathers, and we have our game festooned +in compact shape for the triumphal march homeward +bound."</p> + +<p>Alas, the pigeons and the frosty morning hunts and +the delectable pigeon-pie are gone, no more to return. +They are numbered with those recollections which help +to convince me that the boys of to-day don't have as +good times as we youngsters did in the prime of our +busy outdoor world.</p> + +<hr class="chap" /> + +<p class="pmb4"><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_9" id="Page_9">[9]</a></span></p> + + +<p class="caption2"><a name="CHAPTER_II" id="CHAPTER_II">CHAPTER II</a></p> + +<p class="caption2">The Passenger Pigeon</p> + +<p class="caption2">(<i>Columba Migratoria</i>)</p> + +<p class="caption3 pmb2">From "American Ornithology," by Alexander Wilson</p> + +<div class="dropcap">T</div> + +<p class="p0"><span class="hidden">T</span>HIS remarkable bird merits a distinguished +place in the annals of our feathered tribes—a +claim to which I shall endeavor to do justice; +and, though it would be impossible, in the bounds +allotted to this account, to relate all I have seen and +heard of this species, yet no circumstance shall be +omitted with which I am acquainted (however extraordinary +some of these may appear) that may tend to +illustrate its history.</p> + +<p>The wild pigeon of the United States inhabits a wide +and extensive region of North America, on this side of +the Great Stony Mountains, beyond which, to the westward, +I have not heard of their being seen. According +to Mr. Hutchins, they abound in the country around +Hudson's Bay, where they usually remain as late as +December, feeding, when the ground is covered with +snow, on the buds of the juniper. They spread over the +whole of Canada; were seen by Captain Lewis and his +party near the Great Falls of the Missouri, upwards +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_10" id="Page_10">[10]</a></span> +of two thousand five hundred miles from its mouth, +reckoning the meanderings of the river; were also met +with in the interior of Louisiana by Colonel Pike; and +extend their range as far south as the Gulf of Mexico, +occasionally visiting or breeding in almost every quarter +of the United States.</p> + +<p>But the most remarkable characteristic of these birds +is their associating together, both in their migrations, +and also during the period of incubation, in such prodigious +numbers, as almost to surpass belief; and which +has no parallel among any other of the feathered tribes +on the face of the earth, with which all naturalists are +acquainted. These migrations appear to be undertaken +rather in quest of food, than merely to avoid the cold +of the climate, since we find them lingering in the northern +regions, around Hudson's Bay, so late as December; +and since their appearance is so casual and irregular, +sometimes not visiting certain districts for several years +in any considerable numbers, while at other times they +are innumerable. I have witnessed these migrations in +the Genesee country, often in Pennsylvania, and also +in various parts of Virginia, with amazement; but all +that I had then seen of them were mere straggling +parties, when compared with the congregated millions +which I have since beheld in our Western forests, in the +States of Ohio, Kentucky, and the Indiana territory. +These fertile and extensive regions abound with the +nutritious beechnut, which constitutes the chief food of +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_11" id="Page_11">[11]</a></span> +the wild pigeon. In seasons when these nuts are abundant, +corresponding multitudes of pigeons may be confidently +expected. It sometimes happens that, having +consumed the whole produce of the beech trees, in an +extensive district, they discover another, at the distance +perhaps of sixty or eighty miles, to which they regularly +repair every morning, and return as regularly in +the course of the day, or in the evening, to their place of +general rendezvous, or as it is usually called, the roosting +place. These roosting places are always in the +woods, and sometimes occupy a large extent of forest. +When they have frequented one of these places for +some time the appearance it exhibits is surprising. The +ground is covered to the depth of several inches with +their dung; all the tender grass and underwood destroyed; +the surface strewed with large limbs of trees, +broken down by the weight of the birds clustering one +above another; and the trees themselves, for thousands +of acres, killed as completely as if girdled with an ax. +The marks of this desolation remain for many years on +the spot; and numerous places could be pointed out, +where, for several years after, scarcely a single vegetable +made its appearance.</p> + +<p>When these roosts are first discovered, the inhabitants, +from considerable distances, visit them in the +night with guns, clubs, long poles, pots of sulphur, and +various other engines of destruction. In a few hours +they fill many sacks, and load their horses with them. +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_12" id="Page_12">[12]</a></span> +By the Indians, a pigeon roost, or breeding place, is considered +an important source of national profit and dependence +for the season; and all their active ingenuity +is exercised on the occasion. The breeding place differs +from the former in its greater extent. In the western +countries above mentioned, these are generally in +beech woods, and often extend, in nearly a straight line +across the country for a great way. Not far from +Shelbyville, in the State of Kentucky, about five years +ago, there was one of these breeding places, which +stretched through the woods in nearly a north and south +direction; was several miles in breadth, and was said +to be upwards of forty miles in extent! In this tract +almost every tree was furnished with nests, wherever the +branches could accommodate them. The pigeons made +their first appearance there about the 10th of April, +and left it altogether, with their young, before the +29th of May.</p> + +<p>As soon as the young were fully grown, and before +they left the nests, numerous parties of the inhabitants +from all parts of the adjacent country came with wagons, +axes, beds, cooking utensils, many of them accompanied +by the greater part of their families, and encamped for +several days at this immense nursery. Several of them +informed me that the noise in the woods was so great +as to terrify their horses, and that it was difficult for +one person to hear another speak without bawling in +his ear. The ground was strewed with broken limbs +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_13" id="Page_13">[13]</a></span> +of trees, eggs, and young squab pigeons, which had +been precipitated from above, and on which herds of +hogs were fattening. Hawks, buzzards, and eagles +were sailing about in great numbers, and seizing the +squabs from their nests at pleasure; while from twenty +feet upwards to the tops of the trees the view through +the woods presented a perpetual tumult of crowding +and fluttering multitudes of pigeons, their wings roaring +like thunder, mingled with the frequent crash of falling +timber; for now the ax-men were at work cutting down +those trees that seemed to be most crowded with nests, +and contrived to fell them in such a manner that, in their +descent, they might bring down several others; by which +means the falling of one large tree sometimes produced +two hundred squabs, little inferior in size to the old +ones, and almost one mass of fat. On some single trees +upwards of one hundred nests were found, each containing +<i>one</i> young only; a circumstance in the history +of this bird not generally known to naturalists. It was +dangerous to walk under these flying and fluttering +millions, from the frequent fall of large branches, +broken down by the weight of the multitudes above, and +which, in their descent, often destroyed numbers of the +birds themselves; while the clothes of those engaged +in traversing the woods were completely covered with +the excrements of the pigeons.</p> + +<p>These circumstances were related to me by many of +the most respectable part of the community in that +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_14" id="Page_14">[14]</a></span> +quarter, and were confirmed, in part, by what I myself +witnessed. I passed for several miles through this same +breeding place, where every tree was spotted with nests, +the remains of those above described. In many instances +I counted upwards of ninety nests on a single +tree, but the pigeons had abandoned this place for +another, sixty or eighty miles off towards Green River, +where they were said at that time to be equally +numerous. From the great numbers that were constantly +passing overhead to or from that quarter, I had +no doubt of the truth of this statement. The mast +had been chiefly consumed in Kentucky, and the pigeons, +every morning a little before sunrise, set out for the +Indiana territory, the nearest part of which was about +sixty miles distant. Many of these returned before ten +o'clock, and the great body generally appeared on their +return a little after noon.</p> + +<p>I had left the public road to visit the remains of the +breeding place near Shelbyville, and was traversing the +woods with my gun, on my way to Frankfort, when, +about one o'clock, the pigeons, which I had observed +flying the greater part of the morning northerly, began +to return in such immense numbers as I never before +had witnessed. Coming to an opening by the side of +a creek called the Benson, where I had a more uninterrupted +view, I was astonished at their appearance. +They were flying with great steadiness and rapidity at +a height beyond gunshot in several strata deep, and so +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_15" id="Page_15">[15]</a></span> +close together that could shot have reached them one +discharge could not have failed of bringing down +several individuals. From right to left, far as the eye +could reach, the breadth of this vast procession extended, +seeming everywhere equally crowded. Curious +to determine how long this appearance would continue, +I took out my watch to note the time, and sat down to, +observe them. It was then half-past one. I sat for +more than an hour, but, instead of a diminution of this +prodigious procession, it seemed rather to increase both +in numbers and rapidity, and, anxious to reach Frankfort +before night, I rose and went on. About four +o'clock in the afternoon I crossed the Kentucky River +at the town of Frankfort, at which time the living torrent +above my head seemed as numerous and as extensive +as ever. Long after this I observed them in +large bodies that continued to pass for six or eight +minutes, and these again were followed by other detached +bodies, all moving in the same southeast direction, +till after six in the evening. The great breadth +of front which this mighty multitude preserved would +seem to intimate a corresponding breadth of their breeding +place, which, by several gentlemen who had lately +passed through part of it, was stated to me at several +miles. It was said to be in Green County, and that +the young began to fly about the middle of March. +On the seventeenth of April, forty-nine miles beyond +Danville, and not far from Green River, I crossed this +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_16" id="Page_16">[16]</a></span> +same breeding place, where the nests, for more than +three miles, spotted every tree; the leaves not being yet +out I had a fair prospect of them, and was really +astonished at their numbers. A few bodies of pigeons +lingered yet in different parts of the woods, the roaring +of whose wings were heard in various quarters +around me.</p> + +<p>All accounts agree in stating that each nest contains +only one young squab. These are so extremely fat that +the Indians, and many of the whites, are accustomed to +melt down the fat for domestic purposes as a substitute +for butter and lard. At the time they leave the nest +they are nearly as heavy as the old ones, but become +much leaner after they are turned out to shift for +themselves.</p> + +<p>It is universally asserted in the western countries that +the pigeons, though they have only one young at a time, +breed thrice, and sometimes four times in the same +season; the circumstances already mentioned render this +highly probable. It is also worthy of observation that +this takes place during the period when acorns, beechnuts, +etc., are scattered about in the greatest abundance +and mellowed by the frost. But they are not confined +to these alone; buckwheat, hempseed, Indian corn, +hollyberries, hackberries, huckleberries, and many +others furnish them with abundance at almost all +seasons. The acorns of the live oak are also eagerly +sought after by these birds, and rice has been frequently +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_17" id="Page_17">[17]</a></span> +found in individuals killed many hundred miles +to the northward of the nearest rice plantation. The +vast quantity of mast which these multitudes consume +is a serious loss to the bears, pigs, squirrels, and other +dependents on the fruits of the forest. I have taken +from the crop of a single wild pigeon a good handful of +the kernels of beechnuts, intermixed with acorns and +chestnuts. To form a rough estimate of the daily consumption +of one of these immense flocks let us first +attempt to calculate the numbers of that above mentioned, +as seen in passing between Frankfort and the +Indiana territory. If we suppose this column to have +been one mile in breadth (and I believe it to have been +much more), and that it moved at the rate of one mile +in a minute, four hours, the time it continued passing, +would make its whole length two hundred and forty +miles. Again, supposing that each square yard of this +moving body comprehended three pigeons, the square +yards in the whole space, multiplied by three, would +give two thousand two hundred and thirty millions, two +hundred and seventy-two thousand pigeons!—an almost +inconceivable multitude, and yet probably far below the +actual amount. Computing each of these to consume +half a pint of mast daily, the whole quantity at this rate +would equal seventeen millions, four hundred and +twenty-four thousand bushels per day! Heaven has +wisely and graciously given to these birds rapidity of +flight and a disposition to range over vast uncultivated +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_18" id="Page_18">[18]</a></span> +tracts of the earth, otherwise they must have perished +in the districts where they resided, or devoured up the +whole productions of agriculture, as well as those of +the forests.</p> + +<p>A few observations on the mode of flight of these +birds must not be omitted. The appearance of large +detached bodies of them in the air and the various evolutions +they display are strikingly picturesque and interesting. +In descending the Ohio by myself in the +month of February I often rested on my oars to contemplate +their aërial manœuvres. A column, eight or +ten miles in length, would appear from Kentucky, high +in air, steering across to Indiana. The leaders of this +great body would sometimes gradually vary their course +until it formed a large bend of more than a mile in +diameter, those behind tracing the exact route of their +predecessors. This would continue sometimes long +after both extremities were beyond the reach of sight, +so that the whole, with its glittery undulations, marked +a space on the face of the heavens resembling the windings +of a vast and majestic river. When this bend became +very great the birds, as if sensible of the unnecessary +circuitous course they were taking, suddenly +changed their direction, so that what was in column +before, became an immense front, straightening all its +indentures, until it swept the heavens in one vast and +infinitely extended line. Other lesser bodies also +united with each other as they happened to approach +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_19" id="Page_19">[19]</a></span> +with such ease and elegance of evolution, forming new +figures, and varying these as they united or separated, +that I never was tired of contemplating them. Sometimes +a hawk would make a sweep on a particular part +of the column from a great height, when, almost as +quick as lightning, that part shot downwards out of the +common track, but soon rising again, continued advancing +at the same height as before. This inflection was +continued by those behind, who, on arriving at this +point, dived down, almost perpendicularly, to a great +depth, and rising, followed the exact path of those that +went before. As these vast bodies passed over the river +near me, the surface of the water, which was before +smooth as glass, appeared marked with innumerable +dimples, occasioned by the dropping of their dung, resembling +the commencement of a shower of large drops +of rain or hail.</p> + +<p>Happening to go ashore one charming afternoon, to +purchase some milk at a house that stood near the river, +and while talking with the people within doors, I was +suddenly struck with astonishment at a loud rushing +roar, succeeded by instant darkness, which, on the first +moment, I took for a tornado about to overwhelm the +house and everything around in destruction. The people, +observing my surprise, coolly said: "It is only the +pigeons"; and on running out I beheld a flock, thirty or +forty yards in width, sweeping along very low between +the house and the mountain, or height, that formed the +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_20" id="Page_20">[20]</a></span> +second bank of the river. These continued passing for +more than a quarter of an hour, and at length varied +their bearing so as to pass over the mountain, behind +which they disappeared before the rear came up.</p> + +<p>In the Atlantic States, though they never appear in +such unparalleled multitudes, they are sometimes very +numerous, and great havoc is then made amongst them +with the gun, the clap net, and various other implements +of destruction. As soon as it is ascertained in a +town that the pigeons are flying numerously in the +neighborhood, the gunners rise <i>en masse</i>, the clap nets +are spread out on suitable situations, commonly on an +open height in an old buckwheat field; four or five live +pigeons, with their eyelids sewed up, are fastened on a +movable stick—a small hut of branches is fitted up for +the fowler at the distance of forty or fifty yards—by +the pulling of a string the stick on which the pigeons +rest is alternately elevated and depressed, which produces +a fluttering of their wings similar to that of birds +just alighting; this being perceived by the passing flocks +they descend with great rapidity, and, finding corn, +buckwheat, etc., strewed about, begin to feed, and are +instantly, by the pulling of a cord, covered by the net. +In this manner ten, twenty, and even thirty dozen have +been caught at one sweep. Meantime the air is +darkened with large bodies of them moving in various +directions; the woods also swarm with them in search of +acorns; and the thundering of musketry is perpetual on +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_21" id="Page_21">[21]</a></span> +all sides from morning to night. Wagon loads of them +are poured into market, where they sell from fifty to +twenty-five and even twelve cents per dozen; and +pigeons become the order of the day at dinner, breakfast +and supper, until the very name becomes sickening. +When they have been kept alive and fed for some time +on corn and buckwheat their flesh acquires great superiority; +but, in their common state, they are dry and +blackish and far inferior to the full grown young ones +or squabs.</p> + +<p>The nest of the wild pigeon is formed of a few dry +slender twigs, carelessly put together, and with so little +concavity that the young one, when half grown, can +easily be seen from below. The eggs are pure white. +Great numbers of hawks, and sometimes the bald eagle +himself, hover above those breeding places, and seize +the old or the young from the nest amidst the rising +multitudes, and with the most daring effrontery. The +young, when beginning to fly, confine themselves to the +under part of the tall woods where there is no brush, +and where nuts and acorns are abundant, searching +among the leaves for mast, and appear like a prodigious +torrent rolling through the woods, every one +striving to be in the front. Vast numbers of them are +shot while in this situation. A person told me that he +once rode furiously into one of these rolling multitudes +and picked up thirteen pigeons which had been trampled +to death by his horse's feet. In a few minutes they will +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_22" id="Page_22">[22]</a></span> +beat the whole nuts from a tree with their wings, while +all is a scramble, both above and below, for the same. +They have the same cooing notes common to domestic +pigeons, but much less of their gesticulations. In some +flocks you will find nothing but young ones, which are +easily distinguishable by their motley dress. In others +they will be mostly females, and again great multitudes +of males with few or no females. I cannot account for +this in any other way than that, during the time of incubation, +the males are exclusively engaged in procuring +food, both for themselves and their mates, and the +young, being yet unable to undertake these extensive +excursions, associate together accordingly. But even in +winter I know of several species of birds who separate +in this manner, particularly the red-winged starling, +among whom thousands of old males may be found +with few or no young or females along with them.</p> + +<p>Stragglers from these immense armies settle in +almost every part of the country, particularly among +the beech woods and in the pine and hemlock woods of +the eastern and northern parts of the continent. Mr. +Pennant informs us that they breed near Moose Fort, +at Hudson's Bay, in N. latitude 51 degrees, and I +myself have seen the remains of a large breeding place +as far south as the country of the Choctaws, in latitude +32 degrees. In the former of these places they are said +to remain until December; from which circumstance it +is evident that they are not regular in their migrations +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_23" id="Page_23">[23]</a></span> +like many other species, but rove about as scarcity of +food urges them. Every spring, however, as well as +fall, more or less of them are seen in the neighborhood +of Philadelphia; but it is only once in several years that +they appear in such formidable bodies; and this commonly +when the snows are heavy to the north, the winter +here more than usually mild, and acorns, etc., abundant.</p> + +<p>The passenger pigeon is sixteen inches long, and +twenty-four inches in extent; bill, black; nostril, covered +by a high rounding protuberance; eye, brilliant fiery +orange; orbit, or space surrounding it, purplish flesh-colored +skin; head, upper part of the neck and chin, a +fine slate blue, lightest on the chin; throat, breast, and +sides, as far as the thighs, a reddish hazel; lower part +of the neck and sides of the same, resplendent changeable +gold, green, and purplish crimson, the last named +most predominant; the ground color, slate; the plumage +of this part is of a peculiar structure, ragged at the ends; +belly and vent, white; lower part of the breast, fading +into a pale vinaceous red; thighs, the same; legs and +feet, lake, seamed with white; back, rump, and tail-coverts, +dark slate, spotted on the shoulders with a few +scattered marks of black; the scapulars, tinged with +brown; greater coverts, light slate; primaries and secondaries, +dull black, the former tipped and edged with +brownish white; tail, long, and greatly cuneiform, all +the feathers tapering towards the point, the two middle +ones plain deep black, the other five, on each side, +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_24" id="Page_24">[24]</a></span> +hoary white, lightest near the tips, deepening into bluish +near the bases, where each is crossed on the inner vane +with a broad spot of black, and nearer the root with +another of ferruginous; primaries edged with white; +bastard wing, black.</p> + +<p>The female is about half an inch shorter, and an inch +less in extent; breast, cinerous brown; upper part of +the neck, inclining to ash; the spot of changeable gold, +green, and carmine, much less, and not so brilliant; +tail coverts, brownish slate; naked orbits, slate colored; +in all other respects like the male in color, but less +vivid and more tinged with brown; the eye not so +brilliant an orange. In both the tail has only twelve +feathers.</p> + +<hr class="chap" /> + +<div id="fp24" class="figcenter" style="width: 452px;"> +<img src="images/fp_024.png" width="452" height="579" alt="" /> +<p class="fig_title">PASSENGER PIGEON<br />(<i>Columba Migratoria</i>)</p> + +<p class="fig_caption">Upper bird, female; lower, male<br /> +<br /> +<i>Reproduced from the John J. Audubon Plate</i></p> +</div> + + + + +<p class="pmb4"><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_25" id="Page_25">[25]</a></span></p> + +<p class="caption2"><a name="CHAPTER_III" id="CHAPTER_III">CHAPTER III</a></p> + +<p class="caption2">The Passenger Pigeon</p> + +<p class="caption3 pmb2">From "Ornithological Biography," by John James Audubon</p> + +<div class="dropcap">T</div> + +<p class="p0"><span class="hidden">T</span>HE Passenger Pigeon, or, as it is usually named +in America, the Wild Pigeon, moves with extreme +rapidity, propelling itself by quickly +repeated flaps of the wings, which it brings more or less +near to the body, according to the degree of velocity +which is required. Like the domestic pigeon, it often +flies, during the love season, in a circling manner, supporting +itself with both wings angularly elevated, in +which position it keeps them until it is about to alight. +Now and then, during these circular flights, the tips +of the primary quills of each wing are made to strike +against each other, producing a smart rap, which may +be heard at a distance of thirty or forty yards. Before +alighting, the wild pigeon, like the Carolina parrot and +a few other species of birds, breaks the force of its +flight by repeated flappings, as if apprehensive of receiving +injury from coming too suddenly into contact +with the branch or the spot of ground on which it +intends to settle.</p> + +<p>I have commenced my description of this species with +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_26" id="Page_26">[26]</a></span> +the above account of its flight, because the most important +facts connected with its habits relate to its migrations. +These are entirely owing to the necessity of procuring +food, and are not performed with the view of +escaping the severity of a northern latitude, or of seeking +a southern one for the purpose of breeding. They +consequently do not take place at any fixed period or +season of the year. Indeed, it sometimes happens that +a continuance of a sufficient supply of food in one district +will keep these birds absent from another for years. +I know, at least, to a certainty, that in Kentucky they +remained for several years constantly, and were nowhere +else to be found. They all suddenly disappeared +one season when the mast was exhausted and did +not return for a long period. Similar facts have been +observed in other States.</p> + +<p>Their great power of flight enables them to survey +and pass over an astonishing extent of country in a very +short time. This is proved by facts well-known in +America. Thus, pigeons have been killed in the +neighborhood of New York, with their crops full of +rice, which they must have collected in the fields of +Georgia and Carolina, these districts being the nearest +in which they could possibly have procured a supply of +that kind of food. As their power of digestion is so +great that they will decompose food entirely in twelve +hours, they must in this case have traveled between three +hundred and four hundred miles in six hours, which +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_27" id="Page_27">[27]</a></span> +shows their power of speed to be at an average about +one mile in a minute. A velocity such as this would +enable one of these birds, were it so inclined, to visit the +European continent in less than three days.</p> + +<p>This great power of flight is seconded by as great a +power of vision, which enables them, as they travel at +that swift rate, to inspect the country below, discover +their food with facility, and thus attain the object for +which their journey has been undertaken. This I have +also proved to be the case, by having observed them, +when passing over a sterile part of the country, or one +scantily furnished with food suited to them, keep high +in the air, flying with an extended front, so as to enable +them to survey hundreds of acres at once. On the contrary, +when the land is richly covered with food, or the +trees abundantly hung with mast, they fly low, in order +to discover the part most plentifully supplied.</p> + +<p>Their body is of an elongated oval form, steered by a +long, well-plumed tail, and propelled by well-set wings, +the muscles of which are very large and powerful for +the size of the bird. When an individual is seen gliding +through the woods and close to the observer, it +passes like a thought, and on trying to see it again, the +eye searches in vain; the bird is gone.</p> + +<p>The multitudes of wild pigeons in our woods are +astonishing. Indeed, after having viewed them so +often, and under so many circumstances, I even now +feel inclined to pause, and assure myself that what I +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_28" id="Page_28">[28]</a></span> +am going to relate is fact. Yet I have seen it all, and +that, too, in the company of persons who, like myself, +were struck with amazement.</p> + +<p>In the autumn of 1813, I left my house at Henderson, +on the banks of the Ohio, on my way to Louisville. +In passing over the Barrens a few miles beyond +Hardensburgh, I observed the pigeons flying from +northeast to southwest, in greater numbers than I +thought I had ever seen them before, and feeling an +inclination to count the flocks that might pass within +the reach of my eye in one hour, I dismounted, seated +myself on an eminence, and began to mark with my +pencil, making a dot for every flock that passed. In a +short time, finding the task which I had undertaken impracticable, +as the birds poured in in countless multitudes, +I rose, and counting the dots then put down, +found that one hundred and sixty-three had been made +in twenty-one minutes. I traveled on, and still met more +the farther I proceeded. The air was literally filled +with pigeons; the light of noonday was obscured as by +an eclipse; the dung fell in spots, not unlike melting +flakes of snow; and the continued buzz of wings had a +tendency to lull my senses to repose.</p> + +<p>Whilst waiting for dinner at Young's Inn, at the confluence +of Salt River with the Ohio, I saw, at my leisure, +immense legions still going by, with a front reaching +far beyond the Ohio on the west, and the beechwood +forests directly on the east of me. Not a single bird +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_29" id="Page_29">[29]</a></span> +alighted; for not a nut or acorn was that year to be +seen in the neighborhood. They consequently flew so +high, that different trials to reach them with a capital +rifle proved ineffectual; nor did the reports disturb them +in the least. I cannot describe to you the extreme +beauty of their aërial evolutions, when a hawk chanced +to press upon the rear of the flock. At once, like a torrent, +and with a noise like thunder, they rushed into a +compact mass, pressing upon each other towards the +center. In these almost solid masses, they darted forward +in undulating and angular lines, descended and +swept close over the earth with inconceivable velocity, +mounted perpendicularly so as to resemble a vast column, +and, when high, were seen wheeling and twisting +within their continued lines, which then resembled the +coils of a gigantic serpent.</p> + +<p>Before sunset I reached Louisville, distant from Hardensburgh +fifty-five miles. The pigeons were still passing +in undiminished numbers, and continued to do so +for three days in succession. The people were all in +arms. The banks of the Ohio were crowded with men +and boys, incessantly shooting at the pilgrims, which +there flew lower as they passed the river. Multitudes +were thus destroyed. For a week or more, the population +fed on no other flesh than that of pigeons, and +talked of nothing but pigeons. The atmosphere, during +this time, was strongly impregnated with the peculiar +odor which emanates from the species.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_30" id="Page_30">[30]</a></span></p> + +<p>It is extremely interesting to see flock after flock performing +exactly the same evolutions which had been +traced as it were in the air by a preceding flock. Thus, +should a hawk have charged on a group at a certain +spot, the angles, curves and undulations that have been +described by the birds, in their efforts to escape from +the dreaded talons of the plunderer, are undeviatingly +followed by the next group that comes up. Should the +bystander happen to witness one of these affrays, and, +struck with the rapidity and elegance of the motions +exhibited, feel desirous of seeing them repeated, his +wishes will be gratified if he only remain in the place +until the next group comes up.</p> + +<p>It may not, perhaps, be out of place to attempt an +estimate of the number of pigeons contained in one of +those mighty flocks, and of the quantity of food daily +consumed by its members. The inquiry will tend to +show the astonishing beauty of the great Author of +Nature in providing for the wants of His creatures. +Let us take a column of one mile in breadth, which is +far below the average size, and suppose it passing over +us without interruption for three hours, at the rate +mentioned above of one mile in a minute. This will +give a parallelogram of one hundred and eighty by +one, covering one hundred and eighty square miles. +Allowing two pigeons to the square yard, we have one +billion, one hundred and fifty millions, one hundred and +thirty-six thousand pigeons in one flock. As every +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_31" id="Page_31">[31]</a></span> +pigeon daily consumes fully half a pint of food, the +quantity necessary for supplying this vast multitude +must be eight millions, seven hundred and twelve thousand +bushels per day.</p> + +<p>As soon as the pigeons discover a sufficiency of food +to entice them to alight, they fly around in circles, reviewing +the country below. During their evolutions, +on such occasions, the dense mass which they form exhibits +a beautiful appearance, as it changes its direction, +now displaying a glistening sheet of azure, when the +backs of the birds come simultaneously into view, and +anon, suddenly presenting a mass of rich deep purple. +They then pass lower, over the woods, and for a +moment are lost among the foliage, but again emerge, +and are seen gliding aloft. They now alight, but the +next moment, as if suddenly alarmed, they take to wing, +producing by the flapping of their wings a noise like +the roar of distant thunder, and sweep through the +forests to see if danger is near. Hunger, however, soon +brings them to the ground. When alighted, they are +seen industriously throwing up the withered leaves in +quest of the fallen mast. The rear ranks are continually +rising, passing over the main body, and alighting +in front, in such rapid succession, that the whole +flock seems still on the wing. The quantity of ground +thus swept is astonishing, and so completely has it been +cleared, that the gleaner who might follow in their rear +would find his labor completely lost. Whilst feeding, +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_32" id="Page_32">[32]</a></span> +their avidity is at times so great that in attempting to +swallow a large acorn or nut, they are seen gasping for +a long while, as if in agonies of suffocation.</p> + +<p>On such occasions, when the woods are filled with +these pigeons, they are killed in immense numbers, +although no apparent diminution ensues. About the +middle of the day, after their repast is finished, they +settle on the trees, to enjoy rest, and digest their food. +On the ground they walk with ease, as well as on the +branches, frequently jerking their beautiful tail, and +moving the neck backwards and forwards in the most +graceful manner. As the sun begins to sink beneath the +horizon, they depart <i>en masse</i> for the roosting place, +which not infrequently is hundreds of miles distant, as +has been ascertained by persons who have kept an +account of their arrivals and departures.</p> + +<p>Let us now, kind reader, inspect their place of nightly +rendezvous. One of these curious roosting places, on +the banks of the Green River in Kentucky, I repeatedly +visited. It was, as is always the case, in a portion of +the forest where the trees were of great magnitude, and +where there was little underwood. I rode through it +upwards of forty miles, and, crossing it in different +parts, found its average breadth to be rather more than +three miles. My first view of it was about a fortnight +subsequent to the period when they had made choice of +it, and I arrived there nearly two hours before sunset. +Few pigeons were then to be seen, but a great number +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_33" id="Page_33">[33]</a></span> +of persons, with horses and wagons, guns and ammunition, +had already established encampments on the +borders.</p> + +<p>Two farmers from the vicinity of Russelsville, distant +more than a hundred miles, had driven upwards +of three hundred hogs to be fattened on the pigeons +which were to be slaughtered. Here and there, the +people employed in plucking and salting what had +already been procured, were seen sitting in the midst +of large piles of these birds. The dung lay several +inches deep, covering the whole extent of the roosting +place, like a bed of snow. Many trees two feet in +diameter, I observed, were broken off at no great distance +from the ground; and the branches of many of the +largest and tallest had given way, as if the forest had +been swept by a tornado. Everything proved to me +that the number of birds resorting to this part of the +forest must be immense beyond conception. As the +period of their arrival approached, their foes anxiously +prepared to receive them. Some were furnished with +iron pots containing sulphur, others with torches of pine +knots, many with poles, and the rest with guns. The +sun was lost to our view, yet not a pigeon had arrived. +Everything was ready, and all eyes were gazing on the +clear sky, which appeared in glimpses amidst the tall +trees. Suddenly there burst forth a general cry of +"Here they come!" The noise which they made, +though yet distant, reminded me of a hard gale at sea +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_34" id="Page_34">[34]</a></span> +passing through the rigging of a close-reefed vessel. As +the birds arrived and passed over me, I felt a current +of air that surprised me. Thousands were seen +knocked down by the pole-men. The birds continued +to pour in. The fires were lighted, and a magnificent, +as well as wonderful and almost terrifying sight presented +itself. The pigeons, arriving by thousands, +alighted everywhere, one above another, until solid +masses as large as hogsheads were formed on the +branches all round. Here and there the perches gave +way under the weight with a crash, and, falling to the +ground destroyed hundreds of the birds beneath, forcing +down the dense groups with which every stick was +loaded. It was a scene of uproar and confusion. I +found it quite useless to speak, or even to shout to those +persons who were nearest to me. Even the reports of +the guns were seldom heard, and I was made aware of +the firing only by seeing the shooters reloading.</p> + +<p>No one dared venture within the line of devastation. +The hogs had been penned up in due time, the picking +up of the dead and wounded being left for the next +morning's employment. The pigeons were constantly +coming, and it was past midnight before I perceived a +decrease in the number of those that arrived. The +uproar continued the whole night; and as I was anxious +to know to what distance the sound reached, I sent off +a man, accustomed to perambulate the forest, who, returning +two hours afterwards, informed me he had +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_35" id="Page_35">[35]</a></span> +heard it distinctly when three miles distant from the +spot. Toward the approach of day, the noise in some +measure subsided, long before objects were distinguishable, +the pigeons began to move off in a direction quite +different from that in which they had arrived the evening +before, and at sunrise all that were able to fly had +disappeared. The howlings of the wolves now reached +our ears, and the foxes, lynxes, cougars, bears, raccoons, +opossums, and pole-cats were seen sneaking off, +whilst eagles and hawks of different species, accompanied +by a crowd of vultures, came to supplant them +and enjoy their share of the spoil.</p> + +<p>It was then that the authors of all this devastation +began their entry amongst the dead, the dying and the +mangled. The pigeons were picked up and piled in +heaps, until each had as many as he could possibly dispose +of, when the hogs were let loose to feed on the +remainder.</p> + +<p>Persons unacquainted with these birds might naturally +conclude that such dreadful havoc would soon put +an end to the species. But I have satisfied myself, by +long observation, that nothing but the gradual diminution +of our forests can accomplish their decrease, as they +not infrequently quadruple their numbers yearly, and +always at least double it. In 1805 I saw schooners +loaded in bulk with pigeons caught up the Hudson +River, coming into the wharf at New York, when the +birds sold for a cent apiece. I knew a man in Pennsylvania, +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_36" id="Page_36">[36]</a></span> +who caught and killed upward of five hundred +dozens in a clap net in one day, sweeping sometimes +twenty dozens or more at a single haul. In the +month of March, 1830, they were so abundant in the +markets of New York, that piles of them met the eye +in every direction. I have seen the negroes at the +United States' Salines or Saltworks of Shawnee Town, +wearied with killing pigeons, as they alighted to drink +the water issuing from the leading pipes, for weeks +at a time; and yet in 1826, in Louisiana, I saw congregated +flocks of these birds as numerous as ever I had +seen them before, during a residence of nearly thirty +years in the United States.</p> + +<p>The breeding of the wild pigeons, and the places +chosen for that purpose, are points of great interest. +The time is not much influenced by season, and the place +selected is where food is most plentiful and most attainable, +and always at a convenient distance from water. +Forest trees of great height are those in which the +pigeons form their nests. Thither the countless myriads +resort, and prepare to fulfill one of the great laws of +nature. At this period the note of the pigeon is a soft +coo-coo-coo-coo much shorter than that of the domestic +species. The common notes resemble the monosyllables +kee-kee-kee-kee, the first being the loudest, the others +gradually diminishing in power. The male assumes a +pompous demeanor, and follows the female whether on +the ground or on the branches, with spread tail and +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_37" id="Page_37">[37]</a></span> +drooping wings, which it rubs against the part over +which it is moving. The body is elevated, the throat +swells, the eyes sparkle. He continues his notes, and +now and then rises on the wing, and flies a few yards to +approach the fugitive and timorous female. Like the +domestic pigeon and other species, they caress each other +by billing, in which action, the bill of the one is introduced +transversely into that of the other, and both parties +alternately disgorge the contents of their crops by +repeated efforts. These preliminary affairs are soon settled, +and the pigeons commence their nests in general +peace and harmony. They are composed of a few dry +twigs, crossing each other, and are supported by forks +of the branches. On the same tree from fifty to a hundred +nests may frequently be seen: I might say a much +greater number, were I not anxious, kind reader, that +however wonderful my account of the wild pigeons is, +you may not feel disposed to refer it to the marvelous. +The eggs are two in number, of a broadly +elliptical form, and pure white. During incubation, the +male supplies the female with food. Indeed, the tenderness +and affection displayed by these birds toward +their mates, are in the highest degree striking. It is a +remarkable fact that each brood generally consists of a +male and a female.</p> + +<p>Here again, the tyrant of the creation, man, interferes, +disturbing the harmony of this peaceful scene. +As the young birds grow up, their enemies armed with +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_38" id="Page_38">[38]</a></span> +axes, reach the spot, to seize and destroy all they can. +The trees are felled, and made to fall in such a way +that the cutting of one causes the overthrow of another, +or shakes the neighboring trees so much, that the young +pigeons, or squabs, as they are named, are violently +hurled to the ground. In this manner, also, immense +quantities are destroyed.</p> + +<p>The young are fed by the parents in the manner described +above; in other words, the old bird introduces +its bill into the mouth of the young one in a transverse +manner, or with the back of each mandible opposite the +separations of the mandibles of the young bird, and disgorges +the contents of its crop. As soon as the young +birds are able to shift for themselves, they leave their +parents, and continue separate until they attain maturity. +By the end of six months they are capable of +reproducing their species.</p> + +<p>The flesh of the wild pigeon is of a dark color, but +affords tolerable eating. That of young birds from the +nest is much esteemed. The skin is covered with small +white filmy scales. The feathers fall off at the least +touch, as has been remarked to be the case in the Carolina +Turtle. I have only to add that this species, like +others of the same genus, immerses its head up to the +eyes while drinking.</p> + +<p>In March, 1830, I bought about three hundred and +fifty of these birds in the market of New York, at four +cents apiece. Most of these I carried alive to England, +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_39" id="Page_39">[39]</a></span> +and distributed among several noblemen, presenting +some at the same time to the Zoölogical Society.</p> + + +<p class="caption3">ADULT MALE</p> + +<p>Bill—straight, of ordinary length, rather slender, +broader than deep at the base, with a tumid, fleshy +covering above, compressed toward the end, rather +obtuse; upper mandible slightly declinate at the tip, +edges inflected. Head—small; neck, slender; body, +rather full. Legs—short and strong; tarsus, rather +rounded; anteriorly scutellate; toes, slightly webbed at +the base; claws, short, depressed, obtuse.</p> + +<p>Plumage—blended on the neck and under parts, compact +on the back. Wings—long, the second quill longest. +Tail—graduated, of twelve tapering feathers.</p> + +<p>Bill—black. Iris—bright red. Feet—carmine purple, +claws blackish. Head—above and on the sides light +blue. Throat, fore-neck, breast, and sides—light +brownish-red, the rest of the under parts white. Lower +part of the neck behind, and along the sides, changing +to gold, emerald green, and rich crimson. The general +color of the upper parts is grayish-blue, some of the +wing-coverts marked with a black spot. Quills and +larger wing-coverts blackish, the primary quills bluish +in the outer web, the larger coverts whitish at the tip. +The two middle feathers of the tail black, the rest pale +blue at the base, becoming white toward the end.</p> + +<p>Length, 16-1/4 inches; extent of wings, 25; bill, along +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_40" id="Page_40">[40]</a></span> +the ridge, 5/6, along the gap, 1-1/12; tarsus, 1-1/4 middle +toe, 1-1/3.</p> + + +<p class="caption3">ADULT FEMALE</p> + +<p>The colors of the female are much duller than those +of the male, although their distribution is the same. +The breast is light grayish-brown, the upper parts pale +reddish-brown, tinged with blue. The changeable spot +on the neck is of less extent, and the eye of a somewhat +duller red, as are the feet.</p> + +<p>Length, 15 inches; extent of wings, 23; bill, along the +ridge, 3/4; along the gap, 5/6.</p> + +<hr class="chap" /> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_41" id="Page_41">[41]</a></span></p> + + + + +<p class="caption2"><a name="CHAPTER_IV" id="CHAPTER_IV">CHAPTER IV</a></p> + +<p class="caption2 pmb2">As James Fenimore Cooper Saw It</p> + +<div class="dropcap">O</div> + +<p class="p0"><span class="hidden">O</span>NE of the most graphic descriptions ever +written of a pigeon flight and slaughter is to +be found in Cooper's novel, "The Pioneers," +from which I make the following extracts:</p> + +<p>"See, cousin Bess! see, Duke, the pigeon-roosts of +the south have broken up! They are growing more +thick every instant. Here is a flock that the eye cannot +see the end of. There is food enough in it to keep the +army of Xerxes for a month and feathers enough to +make beds for the whole country. . . . The reports +of the firearms became rapid, whole volleys rising +from the plain, as flocks of more than ordinary numbers +darted over the opening, shadowing the field like +a cloud; and then the light smoke of a single piece +would issue from among the leafless bushes on the mountain, +as death was hurled on the retreat of the affrighted +birds, who were rising from a volley, in a vain effort to +escape. Arrows and missiles of every kind were in the +midst of the flocks; and so numerous were the birds, +and so low did they take their flight, that even long +poles, in the hands of those on the sides of the mountain, +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_42" id="Page_42">[42]</a></span> +were used to strike them to the earth. . . . So +prodigious was the number of the birds, that the scattering +fire of the guns, with the hurtling missiles, and the +cries of the boys, had no other effect than to break off +small flocks from the immense masses that continued to +dart along the valley, as if the whole of the feathered +tribe were pouring through that one pass. None pretended +to collect the game, which lay scattered over the +fields in such profusion as to cover the very ground with +the fluttering victims."</p> + +<p>The slaughter described finally ended with a grand +finale when an old swivel gun was "loaded with handsful +of bird-shot," and fired into the mass of pigeons +with such fatal effect that there were birds enough +killed and wounded on the ground to feed the whole +settlement.</p> + +<p>The following description is from "The Chainbearer," +also by J. Fenimore Cooper. The region of +which he writes is in Central New York.</p> + +<p>"I scarce know how to describe the remarkable +scene. As we drew near to the summit of the hill, +pigeons began to be seen fluttering among the branches +over our heads, as individuals are met along the roads +that lead into the suburbs of a large town. We had +probably seen a thousand birds glancing around among +the trees, before we came in view of the roost itself. +The numbers increased as we drew nearer, and presently +the forest was alive with them.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_43" id="Page_43">[43]</a></span></p> + +<p>"The fluttering was incessant, and often startling as +we passed ahead, our march producing a movement in +the living crowd, that really became confounding. +Every tree was literally covered with nests, many having +at least a thousand of these frail tenements on their +branches, and shaded by the leaves. They often touched +each other, a wonderful degree of order prevailing +among the hundreds of thousands of families that were +here assembled.</p> + +<p>"The place had the odor of a fowl-house, and squabs +just fledged sufficiently to trust themselves in short +flights, were fluttering around us in all directions, in +tens of thousands. To these were to be added the parents +of the young race endeavoring to protect them and +guide them in a way to escape harm. Although the +birds rose as we approached, and the woods just around +us seemed fairly alive with pigeons, our presence produced +no general commotion; every one of the feathered +throng appearing to be so much occupied with its own +concerns, as to take little heed of the visit of a party of +strangers, though of a race usually so formidable to +their own.</p> + +<p>"The masses moved before us precisely as a crowd of +human beings yields to a pressure or a danger on any +given point; the vacuum created by its passage filling +in its rear as the water of the ocean flows into the track +of the keel.</p> + +<p>"The effect on most of us was confounding, and I +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_44" id="Page_44">[44]</a></span> +can only compare the sensation produced on myself by +the extraordinary tumult to that a man experiences at +finding himself suddenly placed in the midst of an excited +throng of human beings. The unnatural disregard +of our persons manifested by the birds greatly heightened +the effect, and caused me to feel as if some unearthly +influence reigned in the place. It was strange, +indeed, to be in a mob of the feathered race, that scarce +exhibited a consciousness of one's presence. The +pigeons seemed a world of themselves, and too much +occupied with their own concerns to take heed of matters +that lay beyond them.</p> + +<p>"Not one of our party spoke for several minutes. +Astonishment seemed to hold us all tongue-tied, and we +moved slowly forward into the fluttering throng, silent, +absorbed, and full of admiration of the works of the +Creator. It was not easy to hear each others' voices +when we did speak, the incessant fluttering of wings +filling the air. Nor were the birds silent in other +respects.</p> + +<p>"The pigeon is not a noisy creature, but a million +crowded together on the summit of one hill, occupying a +space of less than a mile square, did not leave the forest +in its ordinary impressive stillness. As we advanced, +I offered my arm, almost unconsciously again to Dus, +and she took it with the same abstracted manner as that +in which it had been held forth for her acceptance. In +this relation to each other, we continued to follow the +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_45" id="Page_45">[45]</a></span> +grave-looking Onondago, as he moved, still deeper and +deeper, into the midst of the fluttering tumult.</p> + +<p class="center" style="letter-spacing:3em">* * * * *</p> + +<p>"While standing wondering at the extraordinary +scene around us, a noise was heard rising above that of +the incessant fluttering which I can only liken to that +of the trampling of thousands of horses on a beaten +road. This noise at first sounded distant, but it increased +rapidly in proximity and power, until it came +rolling in upon us, among the tree-tops, like a crash of +thunder. The air was suddenly darkened, and the place +where we stood as somber as a dusky twilight. At the +same instant, all the pigeons near us, that had been on +their nests, appeared to fall out of them, and the space +immediately above our heads was at once filled with +birds.</p> + +<p>"Chaos itself could hardly have represented greater +confusion, or a greater uproar. As for the birds, they +now seemed to disregard our presence entirely; possibly +they could not see us on account of their own numbers, +for they fluttered in between Dus and myself, hitting +us with their wings, and at times appearing as if +about to bury us in avalanches of pigeons. Each of us +caught one at least in our hands, while Chainbearer and +the Indian took them in some numbers, letting one prisoner +go as another was taken. In a word, we seemed to +be in a world of pigeons. This part of the scene may +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_46" id="Page_46">[46]</a></span> +have lasted a minute, when the space around us was suddenly +cleared, the birds glancing upward among the +branches of the trees, disappearing among the foliage. +All this was the effect produced by the return of the +female birds, which had been off at a distance, some +twenty miles at least, to feed on beechnuts, and which +now assumed the places of the males on the nests; the +latter taking a flight to get their meal in their turn.</p> + +<p>"I have since had the curiosity to make a sort of an +estimate of the number of the birds that must have +come in upon the roost, in that, to us, memorable +moment. Such a calculation, as a matter of course, must +be very vague, though one may get certain principles +by estimating the size of a flock by the known rapidity +of the flight, and other similar means; and I remember +that Frank Malbone and myself supposed that a +million of birds must have come in on that return, and +as many departed! As the pigeon is a very voracious +bird, the question is apt to present itself, where food +is obtained for so many mouths; but, when we remember +the vast extent of the American forests, this difficulty +is at once met. Admitting that the colony we visited +contained many millions of birds, and, counting old and +young, I have no doubt it did, there was probably a +fruit-bearing tree for each, within an hour's flight from +that very spot!</p> + +<p>"Such is the scale on which Nature labors in the +wilderness! I have seen insects fluttering in the air at +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_47" id="Page_47">[47]</a></span> +particular seasons, and at particular places, until they +formed little clouds; a sight every one must have witnessed +on many occasions; and as those insects appeared, +on their diminished scale, so did the pigeons appear to +us at the roost of Mooseridge."</p> + +<hr class="chap" /> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_48" id="Page_48">[48]</a></span></p> + + + + +<p class="caption2"><a name="CHAPTER_V" id="CHAPTER_V">CHAPTER V</a></p> + +<p class="caption2">The Wild Pigeon of North America</p> + +<p class="caption3">By Chief Pokagon,<a name="FNanchor_A_1" id="FNanchor_A_1"></a><a href="#Footnote_A_1" class="fnanchor">[A]</a> from "The Chautauquan," November, 1895. +Vol. 22. No. 20.</p> + +<div class="footnote pmb2"> + +<p><a name="Footnote_A_1" id="Footnote_A_1"></a> +<a href="#FNanchor_A_1"><span class="label">[A]</span></a> Simon Pokagon, of Michigan, is a full-blooded Indian, the last Pottawattomie +chief of the Pokagon band. He is author of the "Red Man's +Greeting," and has been called by the press the "Redskin poet, bard, and +Longfellow of his race." His father, chief before him, sold the site of +Chicago and the surrounding country to the United States in 1833 for three +cents an acre. He was the first red man to visit President Lincoln after his +inauguration. In a letter written home at the time he said: "I have met +Lincoln, the great chief; he is very tall, has a sad face, but he is a good man, +I saw it in his eyes and felt it in his hand-shaking. He will help us get +payment for Chicago land." Soon after $39,000 was paid. In 1874 he +visited President Grant. He said of him: "I expected he would put on +military importance, but he treated me kindly, give me a cigar, and we +smoked the pipe of peace together." In 1893 he procured judgment +against the United States for over $100,000 still due on the sale of the +Chicago land by his father. He was honored on Chicago Day at the +World's Fair by first ringing the new Bell of Liberty and speaking in behalf +of his race to the greatest crowd ever assembled on earth. After his +speech "Glory Hallelujah" was sung before the bell for the first time on +the Fair grounds.</p></div> + +<div class="dropcap">T</div> + +<p class="p0"><span class="hidden">T</span>HE migratory or wild pigeon of North America +was known by our race as <i>O-me-me-wog</i>. +Why the European race did not accept that +name was, no doubt, because the bird so much resembled +the domesticated pigeon; they naturally called it a +wild pigeon, as they called us wild men.</p> + +<p>This remarkable bird differs from the dove or domesticated +pigeon, which was imported into this country, +in the grace of its long neck, its slender bill and legs, +and its narrow wings. Its tail is eight inches long, having +twelve feathers, white on the under side. The two +center feathers are longest, while five arranged on either +side diminished gradually each one-half inch in length, +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_49" id="Page_49">[49]</a></span> +giving to the tail when spread an almost conical appearance. +Its back and upper part of the wings and head +are a darkish blue, with a silken velvety appearance. Its +neck is resplendent in gold and green with royal purple +intermixed. Its breast is reddish-brown, fading toward +the belly into white. Its tail is tipped with white, intermixed +with bluish-black. The female is one inch shorter +than the male, and her color less vivid.</p> + +<p>It was proverbial with our fathers that if the Great +Spirit in His wisdom could have created a more elegant +bird in plumage, form, and movement, He never did. +When a young man I have stood for hours admiring +the movements of these birds. I have seen them fly in +unbroken lines from the horizon, one line succeeding +another from morning until night, moving their unbroken +columns like an army of trained soldiers pushing +to the front, while detached bodies of these birds +appeared in different parts of the heavens, pressing forward +in haste like raw recruits preparing for battle. At +other times I have seen them move in one unbroken column +for hours across the sky, like some great river, +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_50" id="Page_50">[50]</a></span> +ever varying in hue; and as the mighty stream, sweeping +on at sixty miles an hour, reached some deep valley, +it would pour its living mass headlong down hundreds +of feet, sounding as though a whirlwind was abroad in +the land. I have stood by the grandest waterfall of +America and regarded the descending torrents in wonder +and astonishment, yet never have my astonishment, wonder, +and admiration been so stirred as when I have witnessed +these birds drop from their course like meteors +from heaven.</p> + +<p>While feeding, they always have guards on duty, to +give alarm of danger. It is made by the watch-bird as +it takes its flight, beating its wings together in quick +succession, sounding like the rolling beat of a snare +drum. Quick as thought each bird repeats the alarm +with a thundering sound, as the flock struggles to rise, +leading a stranger to think a young cyclone is then being +born.</p> + +<p>. . . About the middle of May, 1850, while in the +fur trade, I was camping on the head waters of the +Manistee River in Michigan. One morning on leaving +my wigwam I was startled by hearing a gurgling, rumbling +sound, as though an army of horses laden with +sleigh bells was advancing through the deep forests +towards me. As I listened more intently I concluded +that instead of the tramping of horses it was distant +thunder; and yet the morning was clear, calm and +beautiful. Nearer and nearer came the strange commingling +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_51" id="Page_51">[51]</a></span> +sounds of sleigh bells, mixed with the rumbling +of an approaching storm. While I gazed in wonder and +astonishment, I beheld moving toward me in an unbroken +front millions of pigeons, the first I had seen that +season. They passed like a cloud through the branches +of the high trees, through the underbrush and over the +ground, apparently overturning every leaf. Statue-like +I stood, half-concealed by cedar boughs. They fluttered +all about me, lighting on my head and shoulders; gently +I caught two in my hands and carefully concealed them +under my blanket.</p> + +<p>I now began to realize they were mating, preparatory +to nesting. It was an event which I had long hoped to +witness; so I sat down and carefully watched their movements, +amid the greatest tumult. I tried to understand +their strange language, and why they all chatted in concert. +In the course of the day the great on-moving mass +passed by me, but the trees were still filled with them +sitting in pairs in convenient crotches of the limbs, now +and then gently fluttering their half-spread wings and +uttering to their mates those strange, bell-like wooing +notes which I had mistaken for the ringing of bells in +the distance.</p> + +<p>On the third day after, this chattering ceased and all +were busy carrying sticks with which they were building +nests in the same crotches of the limbs they had occupied +in pairs the day before. On the morning of the +fourth day their nests were finished and eggs laid. The +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_52" id="Page_52">[52]</a></span> +hen birds occupied the nests in the morning, while the +male birds went out into the surrounding country to +feed, returning about ten o'clock, taking the nests, while +the hens went out to feed, returning about three o'clock. +Again changing nests, the male birds went out the second +time to feed, returning at sundown. The same routine +was pursued each day until the young ones were hatched +and nearly half grown, at which time all the parent +birds left the brooding grounds about daylight. On the +morning of the eleventh day, after the eggs were laid, I +found the nesting grounds strewn with egg shells, convincing +me that the young were hatched. In thirteen +days more the parent birds left their young to shift for +themselves, flying to the east about sixty miles, when +they again nested. The female lays but one egg during +the same nesting.</p> + +<p>Both sexes secrete in their crops milk or curd with +which they feed their young, until they are nearly ready +to fly, when they stuff them with mast and such other +raw material as they themselves eat, until their crops +exceed their bodies in size, giving to them an appearance +of two birds with one head. Within two days after the +stuffing they become a mass of fat—"a squab." At this +period the parent bird drives them from the nests to +take care of themselves, while they fly off within a day +or two, sometimes hundreds of miles, and again nest.</p> + +<p>It has been well established that these birds look after +and take care of all orphan squabs whose parents have +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_53" id="Page_53">[53]</a></span> +been killed or are missing. These birds are long-lived, +having been known to live twenty-five years caged. +When food is abundant they nest each month in the +year.</p> + +<p>Their principal food is the mast of the forest, except +when curd is being secreted in their crops, at which +time they denude the country of snails and worms for +miles around the nesting grounds. Because they nest +in such immense bodies, they are frequently compelled +to fly from fifty to one hundred miles for food.</p> + +<p>During my early life I learned that these birds in +spring and fall were seen in their migrations from the +Atlantic to the Mississippi River. This knowledge, +together with my personal observation of their countless +numbers, led me to believe they were almost as inexhaustible +as the great ocean itself. Of course I had witnessed +the passing away of the deer, buffalo, and elk, but I +looked upon them as local in their habits, while these +birds spanned the continent, frequently nesting beyond +the reach of cruel man.</p> + +<p>Between 1840 and 1880 I visited in the States of +Ohio, Indiana, and Michigan many brooding places that +were from twenty to thirty miles long and from three +to four miles wide, every tree in its limits being spotted +with nests. Yet, notwithstanding their countless numbers, +great endurance, and long life, they have almost +entirely disappeared from our forests. We strain our +eyes in spring and autumn in vain to catch a glimpse of +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_54" id="Page_54">[54]</a></span> +these pilgrims. White men tell us they have moved +in a body to the Rocky Mountain region, where they +are as plenty as they were here, but when we ask red +men, who are familiar with the mountain country, about +them, they shake their heads in disbelief.</p> + +<p>A pigeon nesting was always a great source of revenue +to our people. Whole tribes would wigwam in the +brooding places. They seldom killed the old birds, +but made great preparation to secure their young, out +of which the squaws made squab butter and smoked +and dried them by thousands for future use. Yet, +under our manner of securing them, they continued to +increase.</p> + +<p>White men commenced netting them for market +about the year 1840. These men were known as professional +pigeoners, from the fact that they banded +themselves together, so as to keep in telegraphic communication +with these great moving bodies. In this +they became so expert as to be almost continually on +the borders of their brooding places. As they were +always prepared with trained stool-pigeons and flyers, +which they carried with them, they were enabled to +call down the passing flocks and secure as many by net +as they were able to pack in ice and ship to market. In +the year 1848 there were shipped from Catteraugus +County, N. Y., eighty tons of these birds; and from +that time to 1878 the wholesale slaughter continued +to increase, and in that year there were shipped from +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_55" id="Page_55">[55]</a></span> +Michigan not less than three hundred tons of birds. +During the thirty years of their greatest slaughter there +must have been shipped to our great cities 5,700 tons +of these birds; allowing each pigeon to weigh one-half +pound would show twenty-three millions of birds. +Think of it! And all these were caught during their +brooding season, which must have decreased their numbers +as many more. Nor is this all. During the same +time hunters from all parts of the country gathered at +these brooding places and slaughtered them without +mercy.</p> + +<p>In the above estimate are not reckoned the thousands +of dozens that were shipped alive to sporting clubs for +trap-shooting, as well as those consumed by the local +trade throughout the pigeon districts of the United +States.</p> + +<p>These experts finally learned that the birds while +nesting were frantic after salty mud and water, so they +frequently made, near the nesting places, what were +known by the craft as mud beds, which were salted, +to which the birds would flock by the million. In +April, 1876, I was invited to see a net over one of these +death pits. It was near Petoskey, Mich. I think I +am correct in saying the birds piled one upon another +at least two feet deep when the net was sprung, and +it seemed to me that most of them escaped the trap, +but on killing and counting, there were found to be +over one hundred dozen, all nesting birds.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_56" id="Page_56">[56]</a></span></p> + +<p>When squabs of a nesting became fit for market, +these experts, prepared with climbers, would get into +some convenient place in a tree-top loaded with nests, +and with a long pole punch out the young, which would +fall with a thud like lead on the ground.</p> + +<p>In May, 1880, I visited the last known nesting +place east of the Great Lakes. It was on Platt River +in Benzie County, Mich. There were on these +grounds many large white birch trees filled with nests. +These trees have manifold bark, which, when old, hangs +in shreds like rags or flowing moss, along their trunks +and limbs. This bark will burn like paper soaked in +oil. Here, for the first time, I saw with shame and pity +a new mode for robbing these birds' nests, which I look +upon as being devilish. These outlaws to all moral +sense would touch a lighted match to the bark of the +trees at the base, when with a flash—more like an explosion—the +blast would reach every limb of the tree, and +while the affrighted young birds would leap simultaneously +to the ground, the parent birds, with plumage +scorched, would rise high in air amid flame and smoke. +I noticed that many of these squabs were so fat and +clumsy they would burst open on striking the ground. +Several thousand were obtained during the day by this +cruel process.</p> + +<p>That night I stayed with an old man on the highlands +just north of the nesting. In the course of the evening +I explained to him the cruelty that was being shown to +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_57" id="Page_57">[57]</a></span> +the young birds in the nesting. He listened to me in +utter astonishment, and said, "My God, is that possible!" +Remaining silent a few moments with bowed +head, he looked up and said, "See here, old Indian, you +go out with me in the morning and I will show you a +way to catch pigeons that will please any red man and +the birds, too."</p> + +<p>Early the next morning I followed him a few rods +from his hut, where he showed me an open pole pen, +about two feet high, which he called his bait bed. Into +this he scattered a bucket of wheat. We then sat in +ambush, so as to see through between the poles into the +pen. Soon they began to pour into the pen and gorge +themselves. While I was watching and admiring them, +all at once to my surprise they began fluttering and +falling on their sides and backs and kicking and quivering +like a lot of cats with paper tied over their feet. +He jumped into the pen, saying, "Come on, you red-skin."</p> + +<p>I was right on hand by his side. A few birds flew out +of the pen apparently crippled, but we caught and caged +about one hundred fine birds. After my excitement +was over I sat down on one of the cages, and thought +in my heart, "Certainly Pokagon is dreaming, or this +long-haired white man is a witch." I finally said, "Look +here, old fellow, tell me how you did that." He gazed +at me, holding his long white beard in one hand, and +said with one eye half shut and a sly wink with the +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_58" id="Page_58">[58]</a></span> +other, "That wheat was soaked in whisky." His answer +fell like lead upon my heart. We had talked +temperance together the night before, and the old man +wept when I told him how my people had fallen before +the intoxicating cup of the white man like leaves before +the blast of autumn. In silence I left the place, saying +in my heart, "Surely the time is now fulfilled, when +false prophets shall show signs and wonders to seduce, +if it were possible, even the elect."</p> + +<p>I have read recently in some of our game-sporting +journals, "A warwhoop has been sounded against some +of our western Indians for killing game in the mountain +region." Now, if these red men are guilty of a +moral wrong which subjects them to punishment, I +would most prayerfully ask in the name of Him who +suffers not a sparrow to fall unnoticed, what must be +the nature of the crime and degree of punishment awaiting +our white neighbors who have so wantonly butchered +and driven from our forests these wild pigeons, the +most beautiful flowers of the animal creation of North +America.</p> + +<p>In closing this article I wish to say a few words +relative to the knowledge of things about them that +these birds seem to possess.</p> + +<p>In the spring of 1866 there were scattered throughout +northern Indiana and southern Michigan vast numbers +of these birds. On April 10, in the morning, they +commenced moving in small flocks in diverging lines +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_59" id="Page_59">[59]</a></span> +toward the northwest part of Van Buren County, +Mich. For two days they continued to pour into that +vicinity from all directions, commencing at once to build +their nests. I talked with an old trapper who lived +on the brooding grounds, and he assured me that the +first pigeons he had seen that season were on the day +they commenced nesting and that he had lived there +fifteen years and never known them to nest there +before.</p> + +<p>From the above instance and hundreds of others I +might mention, it is well established in my mind beyond +a reasonable doubt, that these birds, as well as many +other animals, have communicated to them by some +means unknown to us, a knowledge of distant places, +and of one another when separated, and that they act +on such knowledge with just as much certainty as if +it were conveyed to them by ear or eye. Hence we +conclude it is possible that the Great Spirit in His +wisdom has provided them a means to receive electric +communications from distant places and with one another.</p> + +<hr class="chap" /> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_60" id="Page_60">[60]</a></span></p> + + +<p class="caption2"><a name="CHAPTER_VI" id="CHAPTER_VI">CHAPTER VI</a></p> + +<p class="caption2">The Passenger Pigeon</p> + +<p class="caption3">From "Life Histories of North American Birds,"<a name="FNanchor_B_2" id="FNanchor_B_2"></a> +<a href="#Footnote_B_2" class="fnanchor">[B]</a></p> + +<p class="caption3">by Charles Bendire</p> + +<div class="footnote pmb2"> + +<p><a name="Footnote_B_2" id="Footnote_B_2"></a> +<a href="#FNanchor_B_2"><span class="label">[B]</span></a> The first volume of Captain Bendire's monumental work was published +in 1892, by which time the extinction of the Passenger Pigeon was +foretold as a matter of a few more years. His contribution to the subject +therefore deals with a much later period in the history of the bird and links +the studies of Wilson and Audubon with the present day.</p></div> + +<div class="dropcap">G</div> + +<p class="p0"><span class="hidden">G</span>EOGRAPHICAL Range: Deciduous forest +regions of eastern North America; west, casually, +to Washington and Nevada; Cuba.</p> + +<p>The breeding range of the Passenger Pigeon to-day +is to be looked for principally in the thinly settled and +wooded region along our northern border, from northern +Maine westward to northern Minnesota; in the +Dakotas, as well as in similar localities in the eastern +and middle portions of the Dominion of Canada, and +north at least to Hudson's Bay. Isolated and scattering +pairs probably still breed in the New England States, +northern New York, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Wisconsin, +Minnesota, and a few other localities further +south, but the enormous breeding colonies, or pigeon +roosts, as they were formerly called, frequently covering +the forest for miles, and so often mentioned by naturalists +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_61" id="Page_61">[61]</a></span> +and hunters in former years, are, like the immense +herds of the American bison which roamed over the +great plains of the West in countless thousands but a +couple of decades ago, things of the past, probably +never to be seen again.</p> + +<p>In fact, the extermination of the Passenger Pigeon +has progressed so rapidly during the past twenty years +that it looks now as if their total extermination might +be accomplished within the present century. The only +thing which retards their complete extinction is that it +no longer pays to net these birds, they being too scarce +for this now, at least in the more settled portions of the +country, and also, perhaps, that from constant and unremitting +persecution on their breeding grounds they +have changed their habits somewhat, the majority no +longer breeding in colonies, but scattering over the +country and breeding in isolated pairs.</p> + +<p>Mr. William Brewster, in his article "On the Present +Status of the Wild Pigeon," etc., writes as follows: "In +the spring of 1888 my friend, Captain Bendire, wrote +me that he had received news from a correspondent in +central Michigan to the effect that wild pigeons had +arrived there in great numbers and were preparing to +nest. Acting on this information, I started at once, in +company with Mr. Jonathan Dwight, Jr., to visit the +expected 'nesting' and learn as much as possible about +the habits of the breeding birds, as well as to secure +specimens of their skins and eggs.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_62" id="Page_62">[62]</a></span></p> + +<p>"On reaching Cadillac, Michigan, May 8, we found +that large flocks of pigeons had passed there late in +April, while there were reports of similar flights from +almost every county in the southern part of the State. +Although most of the birds had passed on before our +arrival, the professional pigeon netters, confident that +they would finally breed somewhere in the southern peninsula, +were busily engaged getting their nets and other +apparatus in order for an extensive campaign against +the poor birds.</p> + +<p>"We were assured that as soon as the breeding +colony became established the fact would be known all +over the State, and there would be no difficulty in ascertaining +its precise location. Accordingly, we waited +at Cadillac about two weeks, during which time we were +in correspondence with netters in different parts of the +region. No news came, however, and one by one the +netters lost heart, until finally most of them agreed that +the pigeons had gone to the far north, beyond the reach +of mail and telegraphic communication. As a last hope, +we went, on May 15, to Oden, in the northern part of +the southern peninsula, about twenty miles south of the +Straits of Mackinac. Here we found that there had +been, as elsewhere in Michigan, a heavy flight of birds +in the latter part of April, but that all had passed on. +Thus our trip proved a failure as far as actually seeing +a pigeon 'nesting' was concerned; but partly by observation, +partly by talking with the netters, farmers, sportsmen, +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_63" id="Page_63">[63]</a></span> +and lumbermen, we obtained much information +regarding the flight of 1888, and the larger nestings +that have occurred in Michigan within the past decade, +as well as many interesting details, some of which appear +to be new about the habits of the birds.</p> + +<p>"Our principal informant was Mr. S. S. Stevens, of +Cadillac, a veteran pigeon netter of large experience, +and, as we were assured by everyone whom we asked +concerning him, a man of high reputation for veracity +and carefulness of statement. His testimony was as +follows: 'Pigeons appeared that year in numbers near +Cadillac, about the 20th of April. He saw fully sixty +in one day, scattered about in beech woods near the +head of Clam Lake, and on another occasion about one +hundred drinking at the mouth of the brook, while a +flock that covered at least 8 acres was observed by a +friend, a perfectly reliable man, flying in a north-easterly +direction. Many other smaller flocks were reported."</p> + +<p>"The last nesting of any importance in Michigan was +in 1881, a few miles west of Grand Traverse. It was +only of moderate size, perhaps 8 miles long. Subsequently, +in 1886, Mr. Stevens found about fifty dozen +pairs nesting in a swamp near Lake City. He does +not doubt that similar small colonies occur every year, +besides scattered pairs. In fact, he sees a few pigeons +about Cadillac every summer, and in the early autumn +young birds, barely able to fly, are often met with +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_64" id="Page_64">[64]</a></span> +singly or in small parties in the woods. Such stragglers +attract little attention, and no one attempts to net them, +although many are shot.</p> + +<p>"The largest nesting he ever visited was in 1876 or +1877. It began near Petoskey, and extended northeast +past Crooked Lake for 28 miles, averaging 3 or 4 miles +wide. The birds arrived in two separate bodies, one +directly from the south by land, the other following +the east coast of Wisconsin, and crossing at Manitou +Island. He saw the latter body come in from the lake +at about 3 o'clock in the afternoon. It was a compact +mass of pigeons, at least 5 miles long by 1 mile wide. +The birds began building when the snow was 12 inches +deep in the woods, although the fields were bare at the +time. So rapidly did the colony extend its boundaries +that it soon passed literally over and around the place +where he was netting, although when he began, this +point was several miles from the nearest nest. Nestings +usually start in deciduous woods, but during their progress +the pigeons do not skip any kind of trees they +encounter. The Petoskey nesting extended 8 miles +through hardwood timber, then crossed a river bottom +wooded with arborvitæ, and thence stretched through +white pine woods about 20 miles. For the entire distance +of 28 miles every tree of any size had more or +less nests, and many trees were filled with them. None +were lower than about 15 feet above the ground.</p> + +<p>"Pigeons are very noisy when building. They make +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_65" id="Page_65">[65]</a></span> +a sound resembling the croaking of wood frogs. Their +combined clamor can be heard 4 or 5 miles away when +the atmospheric conditions are favorable. Two eggs +are usually laid, but many nests contain only one. Both +birds incubate, the females between 2 o'clock <span class="smcap">P.M.</span> and +9 o'clock or 10 o'clock the next morning; the males +from 9 or 10 o'clock <span class="smcap">A.M.</span> to 2 o'clock <span class="smcap">P.M.</span> The +males feed twice each day, namely, from daylight to +about 8 o'clock <span class="smcap">A.M.</span> and again late in the afternoon. +The females feed only during the forenoon. The +change is made with great regularity as to time, all the +males being on the nest by 10 o'clock <span class="smcap">A.M.</span></p> + +<p>"During the morning and evening no females are +ever caught by the netters; during the forenoon no +males. The sitting bird does not leave the nest until +the bill of its incoming mate nearly touches its tail, +the former slipping off as the latter takes it place.</p> + +<p>"Thus the eggs are constantly covered, and but few +are ever thrown out despite the fragile character of the +nests and the swaying of the trees in the high winds. +The old birds never feed in or near the nesting, leaving +all the beech mast, etc., there for their young. Many +of them go 100 miles each day for food. Mr. Stevens +is satisfied that pigeons continue laying and hatching +during the entire summer. They do not, however, use +the same nesting place a second time in one season, the +entire colony always moving from 20 to 100 miles after +the appearance of each brood of young. Mr. Stevens, +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_66" id="Page_66">[66]</a></span> +as well as many of the other netters with whom we +talked, believes that they breed during their absence +in the South in the winter, asserting as proof of this +that young birds in considerable numbers often accompany +the earlier spring flights.</p> + +<p>"Five weeks are consumed by a single nesting. Then +the young are forced out of their nests by the old +birds. Mr. Stevens has twice seen this done. One +of the pigeons, usually the male, pushes the young off +the nest by force. The latter struggles and squeals precisely +like a tame squab, but is finally crowded out along +the branch, and after further feeble resistance flutters +down to the ground. Three or four days elapse before +it is able to fly well. Upon leaving the nest it is often +fatter and heavier than the old birds; but it quickly +becomes much thinner and lighter, despite the enormous +quantity of food it consumes.</p> + +<p>"On one occasion an immense flock of young birds +became bewildered in a fog while crossing Crooked +Lake, and descending struck the water and perished by +thousands. The shore for miles was covered a foot +or more deep with them. The old birds rose above the +fog, and none were killed.</p> + +<p>"At least five hundred men were engaged in netting +pigeons during the great Petoskey nesting of 1881. Mr. +Stevens thought that they may have captured on the +average 20,000 birds apiece during the season. Sometimes +two carloads were shipped south on the railroad +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_67" id="Page_67">[67]</a></span> +each day. Nevertheless he believed that not one bird +in a thousand was taken. Hawks and owls often +abound near the nesting. Owls can be heard hooting +there all night long. The cooper's hawk often catches +the stool-pigeon. During the Petoskey season Mr. +Stevens lost twelve stool birds in this way.</p> + +<p>"There has been much dispute among writers and +observers, beginning with Audubon and Wilson, and +extending down to the present day, as to whether the +wild pigeon has two eggs or one. I questioned Mr. +Stevens closely on this point. He assured me that he +had frequently found two eggs or two young in the +same nest, but that fully half the nests which he had +examined contained only one.</p> + +<p>"Our personal experience with the pigeon in Michigan +was as follows:</p> + +<p>"During our stay at Cadillac we saw them daily, +sometimes singly, usually in pairs, never more than two +together. Nearly every large tract of old growth +mixed woods seemed to contain at least one pair. They +appeared to be settled for the season, and we were +convinced that they were preparing to breed. In fact, +the oviduct of a female, killed May 10, contained an +egg nearly ready for the shell.</p> + +<p>"At Oden we had a similar experience, although there +were perhaps fewer pigeons there than about Cadillac.</p> + +<p>"On May 24, Mr. Dwight settled any possible question +as to their breeding in scattered pairs, by finding +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_68" id="Page_68">[68]</a></span> +a nest on which he distinctly saw a bird sitting. The +following day I accompanied him to this nest, which +was at least 50 feet above the ground, on the horizontal +branch of a large hemlock, about 20 feet out from the +trunk. As we approached the spot an adult male +pigeon started from a tree near that on which the nest +was placed, and a moment later a young bird, with +stub tail and barely able to fly, fluttered feebly after +it. This young pigeon was probably the bird seen the +previous day on the nest, for on climbing to the latter, +Mr. Dwight found it empty, but fouled with excrement, +some of which was perfectly fresh. A thorough investigation +of the surrounding woods, which were a hundred +acres or more in extent, and composed chiefly of +beeches, with a mixture of white pines and hemlocks +of the largest size, convinced us that no other pigeons +were nesting in them.</p> + +<p>"All the netters with whom we talked believe firmly +that there are just as many pigeons in the West as there +ever were. They say the birds have been driven from +Michigan and the adjoining States, partly by persecution, +and partly by the destruction of the forests, and +have retreated to uninhabited regions, perhaps north +of the Great Lakes in British North America. Doubtless +there is some truth in this theory; for, that the +pigeon is not, as has been asserted so often recently, +on the verge of extinction, is shown by the flight which +passed through Michigan in the Spring of 1888. This +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_69" id="Page_69">[69]</a></span> +flight, according to the testimony of many reliable observers, +was a large one, and the birds must have +formed a nesting of considerable extent in some region +so remote that no news of its presence reached the ears +of the vigilant netters. Thus it is probable that enough +Pigeons are left to restock the West, provided that laws +sufficiently stringent to give them fair protection be at +once enacted. The present laws of Michigan and Wisconsin +are simply worse than useless, for, while they +prohibit disturbing the birds <i>within</i> the nesting, they +allow unlimited netting only a few miles beyond its outskirts +<i>during the entire breeding season</i>. The theory +is, that they are so infinitely numerous that their ranks +are not seriously thinned by catching a few millions of +breeding birds in a summer, and that the only danger +to be guarded against is that of frightening them away +by the use of guns or nets in the woods where their +nests are placed. The absurdity of such reasoning is +self-evident, but, singularly enough, the netters, many +of whom struck me as intelligent and honest men, seem +really to believe in it. As they have more or less local +influence, and, in addition, the powerful backing of the +large game dealers in the cities, it is not likely that any +really effectual laws can be passed until the last of our +Passenger Pigeons are preparing to follow the great +auk and the American bison."</p> + +<p>In order to show a little more clearly the immense +destruction of the Passenger Pigeon <i>in a single year</i> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_70" id="Page_70">[70]</a></span> +<i>and at one roost</i> only, I quote the following extract +from an interesting article "On the Habits, Methods of +Capture, and Nesting of the Wild Pigeon," with an +account of the Michigan nesting of 1878, by Prof. H. B. +Roney, in the Chicago <i>Field</i> (Vol. X, pp. 345-347):</p> + +<p>"The nesting area, situated near Petoskey, covered +something like 100,000 acres of land, and included not +less than 150,000 acres within its limits, being in length +about 40 miles by 3 to 10 in width. The number of +dead birds sent by rail was estimated at 12,500 daily, +or 1,500,000 for the summer, besides 80,352 live birds; +an equal number was sent by water. We have," says +the writer, "adding the thousands of dead and wounded +ones not secured, and the myriads of squabs left dead +in the nest, at the lowest possible estimate, a grand +total of one billion pigeons sacrificed to Mammon +during the nesting of 1878."</p> + +<p>The last mentioned figure is undoubtedly far above +the actual number killed during that or any other year, +but even granting that but a million were killed at this +roost, the slaughter is enormous enough, and it is not +strange that the number of these pigeons are now few, +compared with former years.</p> + +<p>Capt. B. F. Goss, of Peewaukee, Wisconsin, writes +me: "Ten years ago the wild pigeon bred in great +roosts in the northern parts of Wisconsin, and it also +bred singly in this vicinity; up to six or eight years ago +they were plenty. The nest was a small, rough platform +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_71" id="Page_71">[71]</a></span> +of twigs, from 10 to 15 feet from the ground. I +have often found two eggs in a nest, but one is by far +the more common. These single nests have been +thought by some accidental, but for years they bred in +this manner all over the county, as plentifully as any of +our birds. I also found them breeding singly in Iowa. +These single nests have not attracted attention like the +great roosts, but I think it is a common manner of building +with this species."</p> + +<p>Mr. Frank J. Thompson, in charge of the Zoölogical +Gardens at Cincinnati, Ohio, gives the following +account of the breeding of the wild pigeon in confinement: +"During the spring of 1877, the society purchased +three pairs of trapped birds, which were placed +in one of the outer aviaries. Early in March, 1878, +I noticed that they were mating, and procuring some +twigs, I wove three rough platforms, and fastened them +up in convenient places, at the same time throwing a +further supply of building material on the floor. +Within twenty-four hours two of the platforms were +selected; the male carrying the material, whilst the +female busied herself in placing it. A single egg was +soon laid in each nest and incubation commenced. On +March 16, there was quite a heavy fall of snow, and on +the next morning I was unable to see the birds on their +nests on account of the accumulation of the snow piled +on the platforms around them. Within a couple of +days it had all disappeared, and for the next four or +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_72" id="Page_72">[72]</a></span> +five nights a self-registering thermometer, hanging in +the aviary, marked from 14° to 10°. In spite of these +drawbacks both of the eggs were hatched and the young +ones reared. They have since continued to breed regularly, +and now I have twenty birds, having lost several +eggs from falling through their illy-contrived nests +and one old male."</p> + +<p>The Passenger Pigeon has been found nesting in +Wisconsin and Iowa during the first week in April, +and as late as June 5 and 12 in Connecticut and Minnesota. +Their food consists of beech nuts, acorns, wild +cherries, and berries of various kinds, as well as different +kinds of grain. They are said to be very fond of, and +feed extensively on, angle worms, vast numbers of +which frequently come to the surface after heavy rains, +also on hairless caterpillars.</p> + +<p>Their movements, at all seasons, seem to be very +irregular, and are greatly affected by the food supply. +They may be exceedingly common at one point one +year, and almost entirely wanting the next. They generally +winter south of latitude 36°.</p> + +<p>Their notes during the mating season are said to be +a short "coo-coo," and the ordinary call note is a "kee-kee-kee," +the first syllable being louder and the last +fainter than the middle one.</p> + +<p>Opinions differ as to the number of broods in a season; +while the majority of observers assert that but one, +a few others say that two, are usually raised. The eggs +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_73" id="Page_73">[73]</a></span> +vary in number from one to two in a set, and incubation +lasts from eighteen to twenty days, both sexes assisting. +These eggs are pure white in color, slightly glossy, and +usually elliptical oval in shape; some may be called +broad elliptical oval.</p> + +<p>The average measurements of twenty specimens in +the U. S. National Museum collection is 37.5 by 26.5 +millimetres. The largest egg measures 39.5 by 28.5, +the smallest 33.5 by 26 millimetres.</p> + +<hr class="chap" /> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_74" id="Page_74">[74]</a></span></p> + + + + +<p class="caption2"><a name="CHAPTER_VII" id="CHAPTER_VII">CHAPTER VII</a></p> + +<p class="caption2">Netting the Pigeons</p> + +<p class="caption3 pmb2">By William Brewster, from "The Auk,"<br /> +a Quarterly Journal of Ornithology, October, 1889.</p> + +<div class="dropcap">I</div> + +<p class="p0"><span class="hidden">I</span>N the spring of 1888 my friend, Captain Bendire, +wrote to me that he had received news from a +correspondent in central Michigan to the effect +that wild pigeons had arrived there in large numbers +and were preparing to nest. Acting on this information +I started at once, in company with Mr. Jonathan +Dwight, Jr., to visit the expected "nesting" and +learn as much as possible about the habits of the +breeding birds, as well as to secure specimens of their +skins and eggs.</p> + +<p>. . . Pigeon netting in Michigan is conducted as +follows: Each netter has three beds; at least two, and +sometimes as many as ten "strikes" are made on a single +bed in one day, but the bed is often allowed to "rest" +for a day or two. Forty or fifty dozen birds are a good +haul for one "strike." Often only ten or twelve dozen +are taken. Mr. Stevens' highest "catch" is eighty-six +dozen, but once he saw one hundred and six dozen captured +at a single "strike." If too large a number are +on the bed, they will sometimes raise the net bodily and +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_75" id="Page_75">[75]</a></span> +escape. Usually about one-third are too quick for the +net and fly out before it falls. Two kinds of beds are +used, the "mud" bed and the "dry" bed. The former +is the most killing in Michigan, but, for unknown reason, +it will not attract birds in Wisconsin.</p> + +<p>It is made of mud, kept in a moist condition and +saturated with a mixture of saltpeter and anise seed. +Pigeons are very fond of salt and resort to salt springs +wherever they occur. The dry bed is simply a level +space of ground carefully cleared of grass, weeds, etc., +and baited with corn or other grain. Pigeons are peculiar, +and their habits must be studied by the netter if +he would be successful. When they are feeding on +beech mast, they often will not touch grain of any kind, +and the mast must be used for bait.</p> + +<p>A stool bird is an essential part of the netter's outfit. +It is tied on a box, and by an ingenious arrangement +of cords, by which it can be gently raised or lowered, +is made to flap its wings at intervals. This attracts the +attention of passing birds which alight on the nearest +tree, or on a perch which is usually provided for that +purpose. After a portion of the flock has descended +to the bed, they are started up by "raising" the stool +bird, and fly back to the perch. When they fly down a +second time all or nearly all the others follow or +accompany them and the net is "struck."</p> + +<p>The usual method of killing pigeons is to break +their necks with a small pair of pincers, the ends of +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_76" id="Page_76">[76]</a></span> +which are bent so that they do not quite meet. Great +care must be taken not to shed blood on the bed, for +the pigeons notice this at once and are much alarmed +by it. Young birds can be netted in wheat stubble +in the autumn, but this is seldom attempted. When +just able to fly, however, they are caught in enormous +numbers near the "nestings" in pens made of slats. A +few dozen old pigeons are confined in the pens as decoys, +and a net is thrown over the mouth of the pen when a +sufficient number of young birds have entered it.</p> + +<p>Mr. Stevens has known over four hundred dozen +young pigeons to be taken at once by this method. The +first birds sent to market yield the netter about one +dollar a dozen. At the height of the season the price +sometimes falls as low as twelve cents a dozen. It +averages about twenty-five cents.</p> + +<hr class="chap" /> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_77" id="Page_77">[77]</a></span></p> + + + + +<p class="caption2"><a name="CHAPTER_VIII" id="CHAPTER_VIII">CHAPTER VIII</a></p> + +<p class="caption2">Efforts to Check the Slaughter</p> + +<p class="caption3 pmb2">By Prof. H. B. Roney, East Saginaw, Mich.</p> + +<p class="smaller">The following article appeared in "American Field," of Chicago, Jan. +11, 1879. Parts omitted here referred to an ineffectual attempt on the part +of the Saginaw and Bay City Game Protection Clubs to put a stop to the +illegal netting and shooting of pigeons. The Michigan law was a bungling +piece of business, working rather in the interest of the netters than of the +birds. Prof. Roney and Mr. McLean accompanied the two representatives +of the Game Protective Clubs sent North on this mission. I make this +explanation as certain parts of the article I reproduce would otherwise not +be as well understood.</p> + + +<div class="dropcap">F</div> + +<p class="p0"><span class="hidden">F</span>OR many years Passenger Pigeon nestings have +been established in Michigan, and by a noticeable +concurrence, only in even alternate years, +as follows: 1868, 1870, 1872, 1874, 1876, 1878. In +1876 there were no less than three nestings in the State, +one each in Newaygo, Oceana, and Grand Traverse +counties.</p> + +<p>Large numbers of professional "pigeoners," as they +term themselves, devote their whole time to the business +of following up and netting wild pigeons for gain and +profit. These men carefully study the habits and direction +of flight of the birds, and in the spring of the +year can tell with considerable accuracy in about what +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_78" id="Page_78">[78]</a></span> +locality a nesting is to form. The indications are soon +known throughout the fraternity and the gathering of +the clans commences. The netters follow up the pigeons +in their flight for hundreds of miles. The past year +there have been nestings in Pennsylvania, Ohio and +Michigan, though in the former two States they were of +short duration, as they soon broke up and the birds +turned their flight to the northwest. The flight of a +pigeon is, under favorable conditions, sixty to ninety +miles an hour, and these birds of passage leaving the +Pennsylvania forests at daybreak can reach the Michigan +nesting grounds by sunset.</p> + +<p>Many of the little travellers came from the westward, +crossing the stormy waters of the lake with the speed +of a dart. From the four quarters of the globe, seemingly, +they gather. Over the mountains, lakes, rivers, +and prairies they speed their aërial flight, through +storm, in sunshine and rain. Actuated as if by a common +impulse toward the same object, their swift wings +soon reach the summer nursery, to which they are +drawn from points hundreds of miles distant by an instinct +which surpasses human comprehension.</p> + +<p>No less remarkable is the wisdom with which the +nesting places are chosen, they being always in the +densest woods, not in large and heavy timber, but generally +in smaller trees with many branches, cedars, and +saplings. The presence of large quantities of mast, +which is the principal food of these birds, especially +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_79" id="Page_79">[79]</a></span> +beech nuts, is a prominent consideration in the selection +of a nesting ground. As the feed in the vicinity of the +nesting becomes exhausted, the birds are compelled to +go daily farther and farther for food, even as high +as seventy-five or one hundred miles, and these trips, +which are taken twice a day, are known as the morning +and evening flights.</p> + +<p>The apparatus for the capture of wild pigeons consists +of a net about six feet wide and twenty to thirty +feet long. The operator first chooses the location for +setting his net, which, it is needless to add, is in utter +disregard of the State law, which prescribes certain +limits within which nets must not be placed. A bed of +a creek or low marshy spot is chosen, if possible at a +natural salt lick, or a bed of muck, upon which the +birds feed. The ground is cleared of grass and weeds, +and to allure the birds the bed is "baited" with salt and +sulphur several days before the net is to be placed. A +bough house is made about twenty feet from the end of +the bed, and all is ready for the net and its victims. A +bird discovers the tempting spot, and with the instinct +of the honey-bee, returns and brings several others, +while these in turn bring a multitude, and in less than +two days the bed is fairly blue with birds feeding on +the seasoned muck.</p> + +<p>The net is then set by an adjustment of ropes and a +powerful spring pole, the net being laid along one side +of the bed, and the operator retires to his bough house, +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_80" id="Page_80">[80]</a></span> +through which the ropes run, where he waits concealed +for the flights.</p> + +<p>Many trappers use two nets ranged along opposite +sides of the bed, which are thrown toward each other +and meet in the center. When enough birds are gathered +upon the beds to make a profitable throw, the +operator gives a quick jerk upon the rope, the net flies +over in an instant, while in its meshes struggle hundreds +of unwilling prisoners.</p> + +<p>After pinching their necks the trapper removes the +dead victims, resets the trap, and is ready for another +haul. To lure down the birds from their flight overhead, +most netters use "fliers" or "stool-pigeons." The +former are birds held captive by a cord, tied to the leg, +being thrown up into the air when a flight is observed +approaching, and drawn fluttering down when the +"flier" has reached its limit. The latter is a live pigeon +tied to a small circular framework of wood or wire +attached to the end of a slender and elastic pole, which +is raised and lowered by the trapper from his place of +concealment by a stout cord and which causes constant +fluttering. A good stool-pigeon (one which will stay +upon the stool) is rather difficult to obtain, and is worth +from $5 to $25. Many trappers use the same birds +for several years in succession.</p> + +<p>The number of pigeons caught in a day by an expert +trapper will seem incredible to one who has not witnessed +the operation. A fair average is sixty to ninety +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_81" id="Page_81">[81]</a></span> +dozen birds per day per net and some trappers will +not spring a net upon less than ten dozen birds. Higher +figures than these are often reached, as in the case of +one trapper who caught and delivered 2,000 dozen +pigeons in ten days, being 200 dozen, or about 2,500 +birds per day. A double net has been known to catch +as high as 1,332 birds at a single throw, while at natural +salt licks, their favorite resort, 300 and 400 dozen, or +about 5,000 birds have been caught in a single day by +one net.</p> + +<p>The prices of dead birds range from thirty-five cents +to forty cents per dozen at the nesting. In Chicago +markets fifty to sixty cents. Squabs twelve cents per +dozen in the woods, in metropolitan markets sixty cents +to seventy cents. In fashionable restaurants they are +served as a delicious tid-bit at fancy prices. Live birds +are worth at the trapper's net forty cents to sixty cents +per dozen; in cities $1 to $2. It can thus be easily seen +that the business, when at all successful, is a very profitable +one, for from the above quotations a pencil will +quickly figure out an income of $10 to $40 per day for +the "poor and hard-working pigeon trapper." One +"pigeoner" at the Petoskey nesting was reported to be +worth $60,000, all made in that business. He must +have slain at least three million pigeons to gain this +amount of money.</p> + +<p>For several years violations of the laws protecting +pigeons in brooding time have been notorious in the +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_82" id="Page_82">[82]</a></span> +Michigan nestings. Professional "pigeoners" did not +for an instant pretend to observe the law, and a lax and +indifferent public opinion permitted the illegal slaughter +to go on without let or hindrance, while itinerant +pigeon trappers from all parts of the United States, +grew rich at the expense of the commonwealth, and in +intentional violation of its laws. Each succeeding year +the news has been spread far and wide until it became +useless to conceal the fact that pigeon trapping was a +profitable business, the year of 1876 witnessing a magnitude +in the traffic which exceeded anything heretofore +known in the country.</p> + +<p>In the early part of March last, a pigeon nesting +formed just north of Petoskey, Michigan. Not many +days had passed before information was conveyed to +the game protection clubs of East Saginaw and Bay +City, that enormous quantities of pigeons were being +killed in open and defiant violation of the law. On +reaching Petoskey we found the condition of affairs had +not been magnified; indeed, it exceeded our gravest +fears. Here, a few miles north, was a pigeon nesting +of irregular dimensions, estimated by those best qualified +to judge, to be forty (40) miles in length, by three +to ten in width, probably the largest nesting that has +ever existed in the United States, covering something +like 100,000 acres of land, and including not less than +150,000 acres within its limits.</p> + +<p>At the hotel we met one we were glad to see, in the +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_83" id="Page_83">[83]</a></span> +person of "Uncle Len" Jewell, of Bay City, an old +woodsman and "land-looker." Len had for several +weeks been looking land in the upper peninsula, and was +on his return home. At our solicitation he agreed to +remain for two or three days, and co-operate with us. +In the village nothing else seemed to be thought of but +pigeons. It was the one absorbing topic everywhere. +The "pigeoners" hurried hither and thither, comparing +market reports, and soliciting the latest quotations on +"squabs." A score of hands in the packing-houses were +kept busy from daylight until dark. Wagon load after +wagon load of dead and live birds hauled up to the +station, discharged their freight, and returned to the +nesting for more. The freight house was filled with +the paraphernalia of the pigeon hunter's vocation, while +every train brought acquisitions to their numbers, and +scores of nets, stool-pigeons, etc.</p> + +<p>The pigeoners were everywhere. They swarmed in +the hotels, postoffice, and about the streets. They +were there, as careful inquiry and the hotel registers +showed, from New York, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, +Michigan, Maryland, Iowa, Virginia, Ohio, Texas, +Illinois, Maine, Minnesota, and Missouri.</p> + +<p>Hiring a team, we started on a tour of investigation +through the nesting. Long before reaching it our course +was directed by the birds over our heads, flying back +and forth to their feeding grounds. After riding about +fifteen miles, we discovered a wagon-track leading into +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_84" id="Page_84">[84]</a></span> +the woods, in the direction of the bird sounds which +came to our ears. Three of the party left the wagon +and followed it; the twittering grew louder and louder, +the birds more numerous, and in a few minutes we were +in the midst of that marvel of the forest and Nature's +wonderland—the pigeon nesting.</p> + +<p>We stood and gazed in bewilderment upon the scene +around and above us. Was it indeed a fairyland we +stood upon, or did our eyes deceive us. On every hand, +the eye would meet these graceful creatures of the forest, +which, in their delicate robes of blue, purple and +brown, darted hither and thither with the quickness of +thought. Every bough was bending under their weight, +so tame one could almost touch them, while in every +direction, crossing and recrossing, the flying birds drew +a network before the dizzy eyes of the beholder, until +he fain would close his eyes to shut out the bewildering +scene.</p> + +<p>This portion of the nesting was the first formed, and +the young birds were just ready to leave the nests. +Scarcely a tree could be seen but contained from five +to fifty nests, according to its size and branches. +Directed by the noise of chopping and falling trees, +we followed on, and soon came upon the scene of +action.</p> + +<p>Here was a large force of Indians and boys at work, +slashing down the timber and seizing the young birds +as they fluttered from the nest. As soon as caught, the +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_85" id="Page_85">[85]</a></span> +heads were jerked off from the tender bodies with the +hand, and the dead birds tossed into heaps. Others +knocked the young fledglings out of the nests with long +poles, their weak and untried wings failing to carry them +beyond the clutches of the assistant, who, with hands +reeking with blood and feathers, tears the head off the +living bird, and throws its quivering body upon the +heap.</p> + +<p>Thousands of young birds lay among the ferns and +leaves dead, having been knocked out of the nests by +the promiscuous tree-slashing, and dying for want of +nourishment and care, which the parent birds, trapped +off by the netter, could not give. The squab-killers +stated that "about one-half of the young birds in the +nests they found dead," owing to the latter reason. +Every available Indian, man and boy, in the neighborhood +was in the employ of buyers and speculators, killing +squabs, for which they received a cent apiece.</p> + +<p>Early in the morning, Len, with his land-looker's +pack and half-ax, and the writer, started out to "look +land." Taking the course indicated by the obliging +small boy, we soon struck into an old Indian trail which +led us through another portion of the nesting, where +the birds for countless numbers surpassed all calculation. +The chirping and noise of wings were deafening and +conversation, to be audible, had to be carried on at the +top of our voices. On the shores of the lake where +the birds go to drink, when flushed by an intruder, the +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_86" id="Page_86">[86]</a></span> +rush of wings of the gathered millions was like the roar +of thunder and perfectly indescribable. An hour's +walk brought us to a ravine which we cautiously +approached.</p> + +<p>Directed by the commotion in the air, we soon discovered +the bough house and net of the trapper. Evidence +being what we sought, we stood concealed behind +some bushes to await the spring of the trap. The +black muck bed soon became blue and purple with +pigeons lured by the salt and sulphur, when suddenly +the net was sprung over with a "whiz," retaining hundreds +of birds beneath it, while those outside its limits +flew to adjacent trees. We now descended from the +brink of the hill to the net, and there beheld a sickening +sight not soon forgotten.</p> + +<p>On one side of the bed of a little creek was spread +the net, a double one, covering an area when thrown, +of about ten by twenty feet. Through its meshes were +stretched the heads of the fluttering captives vainly +struggling to escape. In the midst of them stood a +stalwart pigeoner up to his knees in the mire and +bespattered with mud and blood from head to foot. +Passing from bird to bird, with a pair of blacksmith's +pincers, he gave the neck of each a cruel grip with his +remorseless weapon, causing the blood to burst from +the eyes and trickle down the beak of the helpless captive, +which slowly fluttered its life away, its beautiful +plumage besmeared with filth and its bed dyed with its +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_87" id="Page_87">[87]</a></span> +crimson blood. When all were dead, the net was raised, +many still clinging to its meshes with beak and claws in +their death grip and were shaken off. They were then +gathered, counted, deposited behind a log with many +others and covered with bushes, and the death trap set +for another harvest.</p> + +<p>Scarcely able to conceal our indignation, we sat upon +the bank and questioned this hero, learning that he had +pursued the business for years, and had caught as high +as 87 dozen in one day, learning later that he caught +and killed upon that day, 82 dozen, or 984 birds. This +outrage was perpetrated within 100 rods of the nests +and in plain hearing of the nesting sounds, instead of +two miles away, as the law prescribes. After gaining +some further information, the old gray-headed land-looker +and his companion withdrew, bidding the pigeon +pirate good-day, and leaving him none the wiser for +the visit. Out of sight we worked our way back to +the road, overtook the stage and returned to Petoskey. +The next day the writer swore out a warrant and caused +the arrest of the offender, who could not do otherwise +than plead guilty, and had the satisfaction of seeing +him pay over his fine of $50 for his poor knowledge +of distances.</p> + +<p>The shooting done at the nesting was in the most +flagrant violation of the protective laws. The five-mile +limit was a dead letter. The shotgun brigade went +where they listed, and shot the birds in the nesting as +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_88" id="Page_88">[88]</a></span> +they sat in rows on the trees or passed in clouds overhead. +Before we arrived, a party of four men shot +826 birds in one day and then only stopping from sheer +fatigue. Other parties continued the fusillade until the +guns became so foul they could not be used, and would +return to the village with a wagon-box full of birds. +Scores of dead pigeons were left on the grounds to +decay, and the woods were full of wounded ones. H. +Frayer, a justice of the peace, informed us that a few +days previously he had picked up fifteen maimed birds, +his neighbor, a Mr. Green, twenty, and a Mr. Crossman, +thirty-six, all in one day, after a shooting party +had passed through.</p> + +<p>The news of the formation of the nesting was not +long in reaching the various Indian settlements near +Petoskey, and the aborigines came in tens and fifties and +in hordes. Some were armed with guns, but the +majority were provided with powerful bows, and arrows +with round, flat heads two or three inches in diameter. +With these they shot under or into the nests, knocked +out the squabs to the ground, and raked the old birds +which loaded the branches. For miles the roads leading +to the nesting were swarming with Indians, big and little, +old and young, squaws, pappooses, bucks and young +braves, on ponies, in carts and on foot. Each family +brought its kit of cooking utensils, axes, a stock of provisions, +tubs, barrels and firkins to pack the birds in, and +came intending to carry on the business until the nesting +broke up. In some sections the woods were literally +full of them.</p> + +<div id="fp88" class="figcenter" style="width: 385px;"> +<img src="images/fp_088.png" width="385" height="561" alt="" /> +<p class="fig_title">UPPER SPECIMEN, PASSENGER PIGEON (<i>Ectopistes Migratoria</i>)<br /> +LOWER SPECIMEN, MOURNING DOVE (<i>Zenaidura Macroura</i>)</p> + +<p class="fig_caption">Frequently mistaken for Passenger Pigeon</p> +</div> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_89" id="Page_89">[89]</a></span></p> + +<p>With the aid of Sheriff Ingalls, who spoke their language +like a native, we one day drove over 400 Indians +out of the nesting, and their retreat back to their farms +would have rivaled Bull Run. Five hundred more +were met on the road to the nesting and turned back. +The number of pigeons these two hordes would have +destroyed would have been incalculable. Noticing a +handsome bow in the hands of a young Indian, who +proved to a son of the old chief, Petoskey, a piece of +silver caused its transfer to us, with the remark, "Keene, +kensau, mene sic" (now you can go and shoot pigeons), +which dusky joke seemed to be appreciated by the rest +of the young chief's companions.</p> + +<p>There are in the United States about 5,000 men who +pursue pigeons year after year as a business. Pigeon +hunters with whom we conversed incognito stated that +of this number there were between 400 and 500 at the +Petoskey nesting plying their vocation with as many +nests, and more arriving upon every train from all parts +of the United States. When it is remembered that +the village was alive with pigeoners, that nearly every +house in the vast area of territory covered by the nesting +sheltered one to six pigeon men, and that many +camped out in the woods, the figures will not seem +improbable. Every homesteader in the country who +owned or could hire an ox team or pair of horses, was +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_90" id="Page_90">[90]</a></span> +engaged in hauling birds to Petoskey for shipment, for +which they received $4 per wagon load. To "keep +peace in the family" and avoid complaint, the pigeon +men fitted up many of the settlers with nets, and instructed +them in the art of trapping.</p> + +<p>Added to these were the buyers, shippers, packers, +Indians and boys, making not less than 2,000 persons +(some placed it at 2,500) engaged in the traffic at this +one nesting. Fully fifty teams were engaged in hauling +birds to the railroad station. The road was carpeted +with feathers, and the wings and feathers from the +packing-houses were used by the wagon load to fill up +the mud holes in the road for miles out of town. For +four men to attempt to effect a work, having for opponents +the entire country, residents and non-residents +included, was no slight task.</p> + +<p>The majority of the pigeoners were a reckless, hard +set of men, but their repeated threats that they would +"buckshot us" if we interfered with them in the woods +failed to inspire the awe that was intended. It was +four against 2,000. What was accomplished against +such fearful odds may be seen by the following:</p> + +<p>The regular shipments by rail before the party commenced +operations were sixty barrels per day. On the +16th of April, just after our arrival, they fell to thirty-five +barrels, and on the 17th down to twenty barrels +per day, while on the 22d the shipments were only eight +barrels of pigeons. On the Sunday previous there were +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_91" id="Page_91">[91]</a></span> +shipped by steamer to Chicago 128 barrels of dead birds +and 108 crates of live birds. On the next Sabbath +following our arrival the shipments were only forty-three +barrels and fifty-two crates. Thus it will be seen +that some little good was accomplished, but that little +was included in a very few days of the season, for the +treasury of the home clubs would not admit of keeping +their representatives longer at the nesting, the State +clubs, save one, did not respond to the call for assistance, +and the men were recalled, after which the Indians +went back into the nesting, and the wanton crusade was +renewed by pigeoners and all hands with an energy which +indicated a determination to make up for lost time.</p> + +<p>The first shipment of birds from Petoskey was upon +March 22, and the last upon August 12, making over +twenty weeks, or five months, that the bird war was +carried on. For many weeks the railroad shipments +averaged fifty barrels of dead birds per day—thirty +to forty dozen old birds and about fifty dozen squabs +being packed in a barrel. Allowing 500 birds to a +barrel, and averaging the entire shipments for the +season at twenty-five barrels per day, we find the rail +shipments to have been 12,500 dead birds daily, or +1,500,000 for the summer. Of live birds there were +shipped 1,116 crates, six dozen per crate, or 80,352 +birds.</p> + +<p>These were the rail shipments only, and not including +the cargoes by steamers from Petoskey, Cheboygan, +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_92" id="Page_92">[92]</a></span> +Cross Village and other lake ports, which were as many +more. Added to this were the daily express shipments +in bags and boxes, the wagon loads hauled away by the +shotgun brigade, the thousands of dead and wounded +ones not secured, and the myriads of squabs dead in the +nest by trapping off of the parent birds soon after hatching +(for a young pigeon will surely die if deprived of +its parents during the first week of its life), and we +have at the lowest possible estimate a grand total of +1,000,000,000 pigeons sacrificed to Mammon during +the nesting of 1878.</p> + +<p>The task undertaken in behalf of justice and humanity +was a Herculean one, but backed up by such true +sportsmen as A. H. Mershon and Wm. J. Loveland, +of East Saginaw, and Judge Holmes, S. A. Van Dusen, +D. H. Fitzhugh, Jr., and others of Bay City, as well +as by the sentiment of every humane citizen of the State, +we could not do other than follow the advice of Davy +Crockett, and being sure we were right, we decided to +"go ahead." The question of a wise protection to the +game and fish of our State is one in which the writer +holds a deep and fervent interest, and in serving this +cause, he will swerve from no duty, nor shrink from +consequences in the discharge of that duty.</p> + +<p>The foregoing article is the result of an honest conviction +that the best interests of the State demanded a +full exposure of the methods by which the pigeon is +threatened with extinction.</p> + +<hr class="chap" /> + +<div id="fp92" class="figcenter" style="width: 391px;"> +<img src="images/fp_092.png" width="391" height="633" alt="" /> + +<p class="center smaller"><a href="#Transcription">Click here for tanscription.</a></p> + +<p class="center">Fac-simile reproduction of circular, issued 1879, showing E. T. Martin's pigeon +headquarters at Boyne Falls, Mich.</p> +</div> + + +<hr class="tb" /> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_93" id="Page_93">[93]</a></span></p> + + +<p class="caption2"><a name="CHAPTER_IX" id="CHAPTER_IX">CHAPTER IX</a></p> + +<p class="caption2">The Pigeon Butcher's Defense</p> + +<p class="caption3 pmb2">By E. T. Martin, from the "American Field,"<br /> +Chicago, January 25, 1879.</p> + +<div class="blockquot"> +<p>The preceding chapter by Prof. H. B. Roney in <i>American Field</i>, was +answered by E. T. Martin, a game dealer of Chicago, who afterwards issued +a pamphlet, the first page of which is herewith reproduced, and I make +quite extensive extracts from the body of the circular, which incidentally +advertises Martin as "the largest dealer in live pigeons for trap shooting +in the world, also a dealer in guns, glass balls, traps, nets, etc."</p> + +<p>I call the reader's attention to the following:</p> + +<p>In the table given of the shipments from Petoskey and Boyne Falls, +etc., during 1878, Martin estimates the number shipped alive from +Cheboygan as 89,730, yet H. T. Phillips of Detroit, shows from his +records that he alone shipped from that point 175,000 that year. So if +Martin's estimates are all as far wrong as this one, he should account for +a total shipment of over 2,000,000 pigeons.</p> + +<p>In Martin's circular, he seems to take offense at some remarks Prof. +Roney has made in this article that reflect upon the character of these +netters, for Martin uses in quotation marks the following: "A reckless, +hard set of men, pirates, etc.," which seems to have some foundation in fact, +as Martin says: "In proof of the pigeons feeding squab indiscriminately, +I may mention the fact that one of the men in my employ this year, while +at the Shelby nesting in 1876 in one afternoon shot and killed six hen +pigeons that came to feed the one squab in the same nest." Further +comment is unnecessary.—W. B. M.</p> +</div> + + +<div class="dropcap">A</div> + +<p class="p0"><span class="hidden">A</span> LITTLE after the middle of March a body +of birds began nesting some twelve miles north +of Petoskey, near Pickerel Lake. About April +8 another and larger body "set in" along Maple and +Indian Rivers, and Burt Lake, and near Cross Village, +there being in all some seven or eight distinct nestings, +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_94" id="Page_94">[94]</a></span> +covering perhaps, of territory actually occupied by the +nesting, a tract some fifteen miles long and three of +average width, or forty-five square miles.</p> + +<p>The principal catch was made from the Crooked +and Maple rivers nestings, and when the former +"broke," which was about May 25, the pigeoners +pulled up and left, many going home, and others to +the Boyne Falls nesting, some thirty miles south, which +"set in" at about the same time. This gave a duration of +two and one-third months to the Petoskey nesting proper, +though it is true that, feed being abundant, some very +few birds remained around, roosting for a little longer.</p> + +<p>The Boyne Falls nesting lasted something over a +month and broke early in July; from this the catch was +very light. After that, the only catch was a few young +birds taken "on bait."</p> + +<p>Besides these nestings, there was one further south +on the Manistee River, some twenty-six miles long by +five average width, or 130 square miles, in which the +birds hatched three times, and from which not a bird +was caught, as it was an impenetrable swamp, and the +putting of birds on the market would be attended with +such expense as to destroy the profit. There were also +one or two smaller ones, east of this one. These comprised +the Michigan nestings, in addition to which, at +Sheffield, Pa., there was fully as large a body, and +fully as large a catch as at the Crooked and Maple +nestings, the birds hatching there, I think, three times, +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_95" id="Page_95">[95]</a></span> +each hatching taking four weeks, from the beginning of +nest building to the time the old birds leave the young.</p> + +<p>It is true, however, that birds were shipped from +Petoskey the middle of August, but they were birds +belonging to me that I was holding there for a market, +my Chicago pens being full. Every bird of them had +been in my possession for a month previous, and many +for six weeks. So the actual pigeon business lasted not +five months, as Prof. Roney says, but about three; part +of which time the total catch was not fifty dozen per +day.</p> + +<p class="center" style="letter-spacing:3em">* * * * *</p> + +<p>They (Prof. Roney et al.) came to Petoskey with a +great flourish of trumpets, hired expensive livery rigs +to ride around the country in, made one or two arrests, +secured one conviction by default, were defeated in +every case that came to trial, had one of the party play +the rôle of "terrible example" in the trout case, and +then went home, and in the face of the fact that they +had eaten, or known of having been eaten, hundreds of +pigeons, and of the certainty that the report was false, +had published in the Saginaw paper a report that the +pigeons then being caught in Michigan were feeding on +poisoned berries, and the using them for food had +caused much sickness, and in one or two instances loss +of life.</p> + +<p>This was not only published in the home papers, but +was telegraphed to New York, Boston, Chicago, St. +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_96" id="Page_96">[96]</a></span> +Louis and Cincinnati, and marked copies of the notice +sent to the press of neighboring cities, the avowed object +being to cause such a decline in price as to force the +netters to quit. It was based on the idea that most of +them were men of small means, and that unless ready +market offered for their birds, they must give out. The +effect was to cause a drop in price of fifty cents a dozen +in New York and Boston in a single day, to cause the +price in Chicago to decline to twenty cents per dozen, +and to take the last cent out of the pockets of a hundred +netters, leaving many who became discouraged and had +to walk long distances to their homes, dependent on +chance for even a mouthful to eat. Many, though, +held out. Telegrams of denial were sent, and the market +in a week or two rallied somewhat, though it was a +month before prices in the East touched the same figure +as when the "poison-berry" telegrams were received. +During the week when prices were lowest I refused to +buy many dead birds offered me at five cents per dozen, +preferring to lend the netter money, or to advance it +on his next catch to be saved alive.</p> + +<p>And, by the way, let me say that killing the pigeons +by pincers is an instantaneous and painless death, the +neck being broken by a single movement, and the fluttering +spoken of being the same seen in any bird shot +through the head, or with the head cut off. But had +the market remained unbroken, had this infamous poisoned +berry story never been started, no such net results +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_97" id="Page_97">[97]</a></span> +in way of profit would have been reached as Prof. +Roney says. Under very favorable circumstances, a +good netter in such a season as we had in 1878, would +make from $100 to $200, but by far the larger portion +would not reach $100 over expenses.</p> + +<p>At the Crooked and Maple nestings day in and day +out the average catch was about twenty dozen per day to +each net and two men. These sold, except immediately +after the "poisoned berry story," at from twenty to +thirty cents per dozen head, at the net, or if the catcher +was saving alive, in which case his catch would be one-third +smaller, owing to the trouble of handling the live +birds, he would get from thirty-five to forty-five cents.</p> + +<p>The principal object in saving them alive was that no +birds spoiled from warm weather, and at my pens close +by the nesting they would be received at any hour, while +to sell dead birds it was necessary to depend on some +chance buyer or to haul to Petoskey, fourteen miles distant. +At Boyne Falls prices were a little higher, say +twenty-five for dead and fifty cents for live, but the +average catch was not five dozen per day to each net. +There were exceptions both ways, which went of course +to make up the average, the most notable being that of +the 2,000 dozen caught by one party, not in ten days, +but in twenty, employing two nets and six men. This +I know, for I was at the net and saw part of the catching, +while Prof. Roney never got that far. This 2,000 +dozen was shipped East and netted the catchers just +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_98" id="Page_98">[98]</a></span> +fifteen cents a dozen at the net, or $300 for twenty days' +work for six men and two nets, while on the other +hand, during the same time, many better catchers who +had not been lucky in location hadn't made enough to +pay for board. Names, locations, etc., can be furnished +if Prof. Roney desires.</p> + +<p>The Professor then goes on to lament his failure +before our Emmett County jury. The reason why is +very simple, <i>he never proved his case</i>. This whole +pigeon trade was a perfect Godsend to a large portion +of Emmett County. The land outside of Petoskey is +taken up by homesteaders, who, between clearing their +land, scanty crops, poor soil, large families, and small +capital, are poorer than Job's turkey's prodigal son, +and in years past have had all they could do fighting +famine and cold, and but a year or so since all Michigan +was sending relief to keep them from starving, thousands +of dollars being contributed, and then most harrowing +tales being told of need and destitution.</p> + +<p>The "pirates and bummers" left some $35,000 in +good greenbacks right among the most needy of these +people. Many were enabled to buy a team, others to +clear more land, more to increase their crops, and all +to lay in provisions and clothing to meet the bitter +winter we are now passing through, and this money did +more to open up Emmett County than years of ordinary +work. It put scores of honest, hard-working homesteaders +on their feet; it increased trade, and, if sent +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_99" id="Page_99">[99]</a></span> +by a special act of Providence, could not have done +more good. Such being the case, can any blame be +given an Emmett County jury if they required evidence +direct and to the point before convicting? And in no +case that came to trial was direct evidence given. So +the four true "sportsmen" there in behalf of justice and +humanity, had such a cold reception from all, that they +concluded strategy beat that kind of work all to death, +pulled up stakes and hurried home, and worked up the +poisoned berry business.</p> + +<p class="center" style="letter-spacing:3em">* * * * *</p> + +<p>Now, about the merciless slaughter. Prof. Roney +estimates 1,500,000 dead and 80,000 live birds as the +shipments, and then goes on to say that <i>one billion</i> +birds have been destroyed! What logic.</p> + +<p>I have official figures before me, and they show that +the shipments from Petoskey and Boyne Falls were:</p> + +<table summary="bird shipments"> +<tr> + <td style="width:18em">Petoskey, dead, by express</td> + <td class="tdr">490,000</td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td>Petoskey, alive, by express</td> + <td class="tdr">86,400</td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td>Boyne Falls, dead</td> + <td class="tdr">47,100</td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td>Boyne Falls, alive</td> + <td class="tdr">42,696</td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td>Petoskey, dead, by boat, estimated</td> + <td class="tdr">110,000</td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td>Petoskey, alive, by boat, estimated</td> + <td class="tdr">33,640</td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td>Cheboygan, dead, by boat, estimated</td> + <td class="tdr">108,300</td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td>Cheboygan, alive, by boat, estimated</td> + <td class="tdr">89,730</td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td>Other points, dead and alive, estimated</td> + <td class="bdb tdr">100,000</td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td><span style="padding-left:4em;">Total</span></td> + <td class="tdr">1,107,866</td> +</tr> +</table> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_100" id="Page_100">[100]</a></span></p> + +<p>This may be set down as accurate or nearly so, and +1,500,000 will cover the total destruction of birds by +net, gun and Indians. The total number of nesting +squabs taken by the Indians would not reach 100,000 +and not over fifty barrels of these ever reached a market, +the Indians smoking the remainder for winter use. No +one knows how many birds 1,500,000 are until they +see them, and handle a few. As an illustration: To buy +and sell 125,000 birds in four months, it took myself, +two men and a boy all our time, working from daylight +until after dark every day.</p> + +<p>I doubt if there were a billion birds in all the +Crooked and Maple nestings. I am certain that there +were not at any one time. I am also certain that more +than double as many young birds left those nestings +than all the birds caught, killed or destroyed. The +morning that the Crooked nesting broke, I was out at +daylight, and at the net to see and help one of my men +make a strike; for an hour and a half a continuous +body of birds half a mile wide and very thick was +going out; our strike was twenty-nine dozen, twenty-five +dozen young and four dozen old, about the same +proportion as the other catchers. This showed that of +the immense body over five-sixths were young birds, +barely old enough ones remaining to guide the body of +young, and this was out of the nesting from which the +bulk of the birds had been caught, where the destruction +had been the greatest. When it is considered that the +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_101" id="Page_101">[101]</a></span> +Manistee birds hatched three times unmolested, that +there was a body several times larger there, than at +the Crooked and Maple, and that many from each body +went further north entirely out of reach and nested +at least once, possibly twice again, some idea may be +formed of the immense addition to the army of pigeons +from the Michigan nestings of 1878. Many more +young birds left the Crooked River nesting alone, than +all, old or young, destroyed during the entire season's +pigeoning.</p> + +<p>Prof. Roney's lament about the young dying when +deprived of the parent bird, and his addition to the +number "sacrificed to Mammon" from that source, +compares favorably with the poisoned berry story, +or the attack on Turner. Admitting that 1,500,000 +birds were caught and killed, not more than half of +these would be old birds, some of which would not be +nesting, and from some of which the young had left +the nest. If for every one of the 750,000 old birds +caught and killed, the squab had died, this would make +a total slaughter of 2,250,000, or about one four hundred +and fiftieth of the number he says.</p> + +<p>I don't believe Prof. Roney knows what a billion is. +However, there were not 750,000, no, nor 100,000 +squabs killed by losing their parents. It is a well-proved +fact that the old bird coming in will stop and +feed any squab heard crying for food, that in this way +they look out for one another's young, and the orphans +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_102" id="Page_102">[102]</a></span> +or half-orphans are cared for. It is rare, however, for +both old birds to be caught or killed, since the toms +and hens when nesting always fly separately, and the +chance of both the parents of the squab falling a "victim +to Mammon," particularly in a large nesting, is small. +As proof of the pigeons feeding squabs indiscriminately, +I may mention that one of the men in my employ this +year, at the Shelby nesting in 1876, in one afternoon +shot and killed six hen pigeons that came to <i>feed</i> the +<i>one squab</i> in the <i>same nest</i>.</p> + +<p class="center" style="letter-spacing:3em">* * * * *</p> + +<p>Why, Prof. Roney, the catch went on all the same, +your party made no difference of note, but the weather +was rough and somewhat stormy; the birds didn't +"stool" well, and during the days mentioned the catch +was very small, hence the decrease in shipments. Now, +regarding the law, it is well enough as it is; one shotgun +near a nesting is more destructive than a dozen +nets; the report of the gun causes the birds to rise in +thousands, and, when repeated, to leave in a body, +regardless of nest or squab, and never to return; as an +example, may be mentioned, the Minnesota nesting of +1877, when the birds were driven entirely away.</p> + +<p>The net is silent; its work occasions no alarm; it +makes no cripples, consequently it can be admitted +nearer to the nests than its more noisy partner. Protect +the pigeons entirely, and a law forbidding catching during +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_103" id="Page_103">[103]</a></span> +nesting time is equivalent to entire protection, and +you have northern Michigan overrun with a pest that +will destroy the farmer's seed as fast as sown, and when +harvest time approaches, pounce upon a wheat field +ready for the reaper and in an hour not leave even +enough for the gleaner. Their increase would be more +rapid, their stay longer, and in four years not only +would the law be repealed, but inducements to slaughter +would be held out to rid the State of the rapidly increasing +and destructive pests.</p> + +<p>The pigeon never will be exterminated so long as +forests large enough for their nestings and mast enough +for their food remain.</p> + +<p>In conclusion, the pigeons are as much an article of +commerce as wheat, corn, hogs, beeves, or sheep. It +is no more cruel to kill them for market by the thousand, +than it is to countenance the killing at the stock yards +in this or any other large commercial center. The paper +to-night shows that in six cities over four million hogs +have been killed since Nov. 1, 1878, or two and a +half months, a larger slaughter than, during the same +time, of pigeons at the nestings by nearly threefold. +Yet this is not "sacrificing to Mammon." A farmer +can market his poultry dead or alive at any time of +the year, and the slaughter, the country over, is larger +than that of pigeons, yet no one in the interest of "justice +and humanity" interferes.</p> + +<p>The pigeon is migratory, it can care for itself. It +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_104" id="Page_104">[104]</a></span> +nests in the impenetrable wilds of Arkansas, the Indian +Territory, Canada and British America, as often as in +the land of civilization where it can be reached for +market. It is a source of profit to the poor, or pleasure +to the rich. Its benefits to the Emmett County homesteaders, +as felt through the cold of this winter alone, +are enough to compensate for evils even as black as our +Prof. Roney paints, and Emmett County is but a sample +of whatever location the birds may settle in.</p> + +<p>Let the law, in regard to distance, stand as it is. +Enforce it against all alike; make no exceptions; let +the rule of supply and demand govern the catchings, and +you will have something better than all the professors +in Michigan suggest. Let the supply be so large that +prices are low and wages can't be made, and law or no +law, the catching will stop. But don't make a law that +will take bread out of the homesteader's mouth, and +work from hundreds of poor and honest men; no, not +even if the birds should be sacrificed, to a certain extent, +for man is above the beasts, and the "beasts of the field +and the birds of the air" are given unto him for his +benefit and his profit.</p> + +<div id="fp104" class="figcenter" style="width: 629px;"> +<img src="images/fp_104.png" width="629" height="493" alt="" /> +<p class="fig_title">H. T. PHILLIPS' STORE</p> +<p class="fig_caption">A typical game store of the early 70's</p> +</div> + +<hr class="chap" /> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_105" id="Page_105">[105]</a></span></p> + + +<p class="caption2"><a name="CHAPTER_X" id="CHAPTER_X">CHAPTER X</a></p> + +<p class="caption2 pmb2">Notes of a Vanished Industry</p> + +<div class="blockquot"> +<p>I have corresponded with many men who were actively interested in +hunting and observing the Passenger Pigeon when its flocks still numbered +uncounted millions of birds. Some of the data supplied in kind response +to my queries is in the form of hastily jotted notes, which, when they are +brought together, include more or less repetition of personal experiences. +They have a certain value, however, when taken <i>en masse</i>, for they are the +testimony of eye-witnesses who will soon be gone, after which the Passenger +Pigeon will become as much a matter of written history and tradition +as the auk or the buffalo.</p> + +<p>I am under obligation to Mr. Henry T. Phillips, of Detroit, for much +practical information regarding the capture of pigeons, and the business of +marketing them as he knew it in those earlier days. There follows a +portion of a letter written me by Mr. Phillips in October, 1904.—W. B. M.</p> +</div> + +<div class="dropcap">I</div> + +<p class="p0"><span class="hidden">I</span> AM in receipt of your letter asking for information +about the wild pigeon, but I do not know +that I can be of much benefit to you, though I will +give you what information I can.</p> + +<p>I began business in Cheboygan, Mich., in May, +1862, as a dealer in groceries and produce and added +the commission business a little later, as I was fond of +shooting, and I began advertising the sale of game. I +have been credited by dealers in New York with being +the largest shipper of venison in the United States. In +1864 (I think it was) I had a shipment of live wild +pigeons which we brought down the Cheboygan River +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_106" id="Page_106">[106]</a></span> +from Black Lake in crates holding six dozen each. All +of these crates were made by hand by one E. Osborn, +who was then one of the traveling pigeon catchers, the +firm being Osborn & Thompson, well known by all men +who traveled then. From that time I have handled live +pigeons in quantities up to 175,000 per year until they +left the country. The last nesting in Michigan was up +on Crooked Lake near Petoskey in 1878, I believe, from +which I shipped 150,000.</p> + +<p>In 1866, they nested in the town of Vassar, Tiscola +County, Mich., and usually each alternate year, as +the mast crop was every second season, beech nuts being +their choice food. The other years they nested in Wisconsin +on acorns, or in Minnesota, feeding on spring +wheat. New York sometimes held them, and Pennsylvania +often, for a nesting; but being a hard place they +never caught many there, Michigan being the favorite +trapping ground. 1874 there was a nesting at Shelby, +Oceana County, Mich., on which it was estimated they +made the heaviest catches I have ever known of: 100 +barrels daily on an average of thirty days of dead birds, +besides the live ones, of which I shipped 175,000.</p> + +<p>There were five nestings that year in the State, three +going on at the same time, but all not heavily worked. +That year I shipped by the steamer <i>Fountain City</i>, from +Frankfort, 478 coops, six dozen each, one shipment +going to Oswego, N. Y., for the Leather Stocking Club +Tournament.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_107" id="Page_107">[107]</a></span></p> + +<p>I bought from Dr. Slyfield 600 dozen at $1 per +dozen, agreeing to pay only in one-hundred-dollar bills. +He traveled two days to get twelve dozen to make up +the shortage. The pigeons at that time wintered in +southern Missouri and the Indian Nation, and were +shot at night by natives and marketed in St. Louis. As +they fed on pine-oak acorns, which tainted the meat, +the market was poor and prices low. The traveling +netters usually worked at something else while South.</p> + +<p>The pigeons started north about the last of March, +and usually located the last of May, according to +weather. If food was plentiful they nested in large +bodies; if not, they divided and nested in fewer numbers. +In Wisconsin I have seen a continual nesting for +100 miles, with from one to possibly fifty nests on every +oak scrub.</p> + +<p>In Michigan usually the feeding grounds were across +the straits, where blueberries were abundant, until fall, +when the birds scattered back in small bodies, feeding +on stubble and elm seed. Frequently they would +go into a roosting place, and make it a home for weeks +before leaving for the South. Traveling north, they +usually flew until about ten or eleven in the morning +and again in the evening. I have known of large quantities +being drowned in Lake Huron, crossing from +Canada on the way north, and have had lake captains +tell me of passing for three hours through dead birds, +which had been caught in a fog.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_108" id="Page_108">[108]</a></span></p> + +<p>In 1874 there were over six hundred professional netters, +and when the pigeons nested north, every man and +woman was either a catcher or a picker. They used +to catch them in different ways. What was known as +flight-catching was in the early morning and evening, a +spot being cleared of usually twelve to sixteen feet wide +and twenty to twenty-four feet long, large enough for a +net. This was known as the bed. About fifty feet from +the bed a brush house was built and the net was staked +down, two spring poles were set to spring the net out +straight, but loose enough to fall easy and cover the +full size of the bed. The front line of the net was tied +to these stakes and they were sprung or set back as if +all of the net was in a roll. A short stake with a line +attached to the outside edge ran to the bough house, a +stick about three feet long was placed under a catch +called the hub, and the other end of this stick was placed +against another peg driven in the ground. When the +short stick was pulled from underneath the crotch, the +spring poles forced the net over the bed; the short +sticks raised the net about three feet; and of course it +was all done very quickly.</p> + +<p>Another method was employed later in the season; +a place was baited with buckwheat, sometimes with +broomcorn seed, or wheat, for a week or two, and, when +a large body of birds was collected, the net was set. +A much larger net is used now. Then is when we got +our live birds for shooting matches. In the spring +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_109" id="Page_109">[109]</a></span> +time is money, and the netters could save many more +dead than alive.</p> + +<p>I knew of a man paying $300 for the privilege of +netting on one salt spring near White River. It was a +spring dug for oil, boarded up sixteen feet square. He +cut it down a little and built a platform, and caught +once or twice each week. He got 300 dozen at one +haul in this house. He said they were piled there three +feet deep.</p> + +<p>I once pulled a net on a bait bed and we saved +132 dozen alive, but many got out from underneath the +net, there being too many on the bed. The net used +was 28 × 36 feet. I have lost 3,000 birds in one day +because the railroad did not have a car ready on the +date promised. I threw away what cost me $250 in +eight hours, fat birds, because the weather was too +hot. I have bought carloads in Wisconsin at 15 and 25 +cents per dozen, but in Michigan we usually paid from +50 cents to $1 a dozen. I have fed thirty bushels of +shelled corn daily at $1.20 per bushel, and paid out +from $300 to $600 per day for pigeons.</p> + +<p>I never allowed game to be shipped to me out of +season; if it came, I never paid for it.</p> + +<p>About two years ago I was told by a man who just +got back from the Northwest, Calgary, that the birds +were so thick in the north that they darkened the sun. +They were probably nesting, as he said they were seen +every morning. . . . Up to ten years ago I was +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_110" id="Page_110">[110]</a></span> +shooting on the Mississippi bayous for twenty-five years, +and used to see and kill some pigeons nearly every +spring, from the middle of March to the middle of +April. We have shot seventy-two pounds of powder in +my camp in thirty days, the party consisting of three +men; and two of us have killed twelve barrels of ducks +(Mallards) in four days. On the Detroit River I have +shot, in one week, mostly redheads, the following on +different days: 102, 119, 142, 155. . . .</p> + +<p>[I have quoted from the latter part of Mr. Phillips' +letter to show how plentiful other kinds of birds were +in the old days.]</p> + +<p>Under date of Nov. 1, 1904, Mr. Phillips writes +as follows:</p> + +<p>"In regard to dates, would say that the last nesting +of birds set in at about 5 <span class="smcap">P.M.</span>, May 5, 1878, on the +southeast side of Crooked Lake. Express charges on +barrels to New York from Michigan were $6.50, from +Wisconsin $8; on live birds $3 per cwt."</p> + +<p>Mr. Phillips also incloses a letter written to him by +Mr. Osborn, of Alma, Mich., under date of February +23, 1898, which reads:</p> + +<p class="tdr"><span class="smcap">Alma, Mich.</span>, February 23, 1898.</p> + +<p class="smcap p0">Friend H. T. Phillips:</p> + +<p>Yours with the questions to be answered received, +and will say:</p> + +<p>. . . There have been several bodies nesting in +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_111" id="Page_111">[111]</a></span> +Michigan at the same time, and I will give the years +and places that I was out. In 1861 a large body of +birds were in Ohio roosting in the Hocking Hills, my +first year out. We were at Circleville, and my company +shipped over 225 barrels, mostly to New York and +Boston. The birds fed on the corn fields. In 1862 +the birds nested at Monroe, Wis. We commenced +in May and remained until the last of August. +The several companies put up some ten thousand dozen +for stall feeding after the freight shipment. Express +charges on each barrel were from $7 to $9. In the +fall of 1862 we had fine sport shooting birds in the roost +at Johnstown, Ohio (now Ada), some four weeks. +Then the birds moved to Logan County. After two +weeks the birds skipped South, it being December and +snow on the ground.</p> + +<p>In 1863 the birds nested in Pennsylvania. We had +some fine sport at Smith Port and at Sheffield. We +located at Cherry Grove, six miles from Sheffield. The +birds fed on hemlock mast. There were other nestings +in Pennsylvania at the same time. In 1864, at St. +Charles, Minn., we had some fine sport, but our freights +were high to New York, so we came to Leon, Wis. A +heavy body was nesting in the Kickapoo woods, and several +companies of hunters located here. In 1865 a +heavy nesting was in Canada, near Georgian Bay. We +were at Angus Station on the Northern Railroad, and +the snow was two feet under the nesting. We next went +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_112" id="Page_112">[112]</a></span> +to Wisconsin, where a heavy snowstorm broke up the +roosts. We were at Afton, Brandon and Appleton. +We then went to Rochester, Minn., the end of the railroad. +At that time birds nested in the Chatfield timber. +We then went to Marquette in the Upper Peninsula and +camped on Dead River. A heavy body had got through +nesting, but worlds of birds were feeding on blueberries.</p> + +<p>This was the year the <i>Pewabic</i> sunk. Mr. George +Snook had 1,400 barrels of trout and whitefish on her. +We went up on the <i>Old Traveler</i> and came down on the +<i>Meteor</i>. In 1866 the birds nested in a heavy body +near Martinsville, Ind. We caught some birds at Cartersburg. +After we closed up in Indiana we went to +Pennsylvania. There was a heavy nesting near Wilcox, +at Highlands. In gathering squabs five of us got a +barrel apiece, which netted us $75 to $100 per barrel +in New York. They struck a bare market.</p> + +<p>In July we had a big time with young birds at Fort +Gratiot, near Port Huron, from the Forestville nesting. +Mr. H. T. Phillips of Detroit was chief of a +party which had fine shooting on a Mr. Palmer's place. +In six days I shipped thirteen barrels to Tremain & +Summer, New York, and received a check for over +$400. They returned me about one-half what they +sold for.</p> + +<p>In 1867 we were in Ohio, Wisconsin and Minnesota, +and caught more or less birds on bait. The birds were +broken up by shooting and deep snow. In 1868 there +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_113" id="Page_113">[113]</a></span> +was a large nesting near Manistee, and we did some big +catching, shipped by steamer to Grand Haven, then +via rail. In April and May was also at Mackinac and +North Port and in June did some catching at Cheboygan, +and here I made our crates of split cedar and +floated the birds down the river six miles on two canoes +lashed together, and had to transfer over the dam before +reaching the little steamer to Mackinac, twelve +miles, and then transferred to the Detroit boat. The +birds were shipped to H. T. Phillips & Co. At Cheboygan +I fed over one hundred bushels of corn and +wheat for bait.</p> + +<p>In 1869 the birds were in Canada, Michigan, Indiana +and Wisconsin, all at the same time, and shooters +broke them up. We located a body at Oakfield, Wis., +and had a big catch until the farmers broke them up. +The birds were pulling wheat badly; other feed was +gone. The birds nested in Michigan, up from Mt. +Pleasant, but too far inland to get them out. In 1870 +the birds nested near Goderich, Can. Did not do much +there. We then went to Glen Haven and caught some +birds. Then we went to Cheboygan; sent more or less +live birds to H. T. Phillips & Co., of Detroit. In +1871 we located a large body at Tomah, Wis., and did +some heavy shipping. We used three tiers of ice from +a large icehouse, and the express per barrel was $12 to +New York and Boston. We also shipped from Augusta, +Wis., express, $13.50 per barrel. A nesting at +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_114" id="Page_114">[114]</a></span> +Eau Claire, but we could not get to do much with them +there. In 1872 a large nesting near South Haven, +Mich. We located at Bangor and had a big catch in +some big snowstorms. Another body near Clam Lake, +end of railroad. In 1873 we did baiting in Ohio and +Wisconsin, but located no nesting. In 1874 the birds +nested at Shelby in two different locations and another +at Stanton, Mich.; small body at Stanton. We did +heavy shipping at Shelby, from one to three cars per +day, both alive and dead. The birds nested this year +at Shelby, two places, and at Stanton, and one at Mill +Brook and at Frankfort and at Leeland, and probably +at other points we did not learn of. In 1875 was not +out, only baiting near St. Johns, Mich. In 1876 a +heavy nesting at Shelby, Mich., and at Frankfort. I +caught at Shelby and at Glen Haven heavy shipments. +In 1877 was not out, but did some baiting at Eureka. +In 1878 a heavy nesting between Petoskey and Cheboygan. +H. T. Phillips located at Cheboygan. I caught +at several points between the two cities.</p> + +<p>The above is part of my experience with the birds, +since which time I have kept no record of the movements, +but will say that during the winter season birds +have nested in large numbers in the southern States; +in Virginia, Tennessee, Arkansas and Missouri. For +a great many years the birds have been moving west. +Last winter I was in Southern California, and a body +of pigeons were west of Los Angeles, among the acorn +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_115" id="Page_115">[115]</a></span> +timber. There are worlds of feed in the foothills, for +thousands of miles, to feed the birds. They are a +greedy bird and will eat everything from a hemlock +seed to an acorn. I have known them to nest on hemlock +mast alone in Pennsylvania, and in Michigan on +the pine mast after the beech mast was gone. Most +of the nesting in Michigan happens March to July, +and then they skip farther north and return in wheat +seeding.</p> + + +<p class="tdr"><span class="smcap">Alma, Mich.</span>, February 24, 1898.</p> + +<p class="smcap p0">Friend H. T. Phillips:</p> + +<p>I will give you a few catches. In 1862, at Monroe, +Wis., George Paxon, of Evans Center, N. Y., and +myself made one haul of 250 dozen five miles south of +the city on corn bait in a pen 32 × 64 feet with nets +sprung across the top. We fed at this bed over five +hundred bushels of corn at 25 cents per bushel, and at +our other beds nearly as much. After the flight-birds +were over, with a single net sprung on the ground we +have taken 100 dozen at a time.</p> + +<p>At Augusta, Wis., in 1871, Charles Curtin, then of +Indiana (dead now), over one hundred dozen; William +W. Cone of Masonville, N. Y., Samuel Schook of +Circleville, Ohio, and some other boys, 100 dozen and +over. L. G. Parker of Camden, N. Y., C. S. Martin, +the Rocky Mountain hunter of Wisconsin, E. G. Slayton +of Chetek, Wis., are old trappers and could tell of +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_116" id="Page_116">[116]</a></span> +big catches. In 1868, at Cheboygan, I took over six +hundred fat birds before sunrise. I sold to the United +States officers at Mackinac for trap shooting, also to +Island House. In 1861 there were only a few professionals: +Dr. E. Osborn of Saratoga, N. Y; William N. +Cone, Masonville, N. Y; John Ackerman, Columbus, +Ohio; L. G. Parke, Camden, N. J.; James Thompson, +Hookset, N. H.; S. K. Jones, Saratoga, N. Y.; George +and Charles Paxon of Evans Center, N. Y., and maybe +a few others. After this time, trappers increased fast. +More salt was used in Michigan for bait than any other +State. I paid at Shelby $4 per barrel. Big bodies of +pigeons were drowned off Sleeping Bear Point because +of fog and wind, while trying to cross Lake Michigan. +I have seen them.</p> + +<p>In the Logan County roost, Ohio, I killed with two +barrels, of a six-bore shoulder gun, 144 birds. The +other boys killed nearly as many with smaller guns; +we shot on the roost in the dark. Our plan was to fire +one barrel on the roost and the other as the pigeons +flew. The highest price paid per dozen was in New +York City—$3—by Trimm & Summer from Pennsylvania.</p> + +<p>For a good many years the birds were in the eastern +States, with heavy catching in Massachusetts and New +York, also Pennsylvania, and the hunters worked into +Canada, then into Ohio, and so on to Michigan and +Indiana, long before they took in Wisconsin and Minnesota, +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_117" id="Page_117">[117]</a></span> +after they left the eastern country for the west. +A big body was at Grand Rapids in 1858 or 1859, +before I joined the band.</p> + +<p>The trappers at Grand Rapids were Dr. Osborn, +Cone, Ackerman, the two Paxons, Latimer, and a few +others, who did some heavy shipping, catching the birds +on the salt marshes. I have no earlier records for +Michigan.</p> + +<p>I kept no record of the amounts shipped from different +points. The old books of the express will show +if they have kept them. I wait to see your report, and +remain,</p> + +<p class="center">Yours truly,</p> + +<p class="tdr smcap">E. Osborn.</p> + + +<p class="tdr"><span class="smcap">Detroit, Mich.</span>, November 2, 1904.</p> + +<p class="smcap p0">W. B. Mershon:</p> + +<p><span class="smcap">Dear Sir</span>:—Last evening I looked over some old +papers and found a few memoranda that lead to my +making some changes in my notes to you in regard to +the date of last nestings in our State. I also find my +later surmise confirmed by a letter from one of the first +traveling pigeon-catchers in the business, Ephraim Osborn, +whose uncle, Dr. Osborn of Saratoga, N. Y., was +one of the original catchers. You will note by Mr. +Osborn's letter that he has been a shipper of mine for +a long time. I am well acquainted with him and knew +all the men he mentioned (with many others) at the +Shelby nesting. There were nearly six hundred names +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_118" id="Page_118">[118]</a></span> +in the register book of pigeoners in Wisconsin. Nearly +every one of the farmers, and their wives and daughters, +were pigeon catchers.</p> + +<p>In regard to the dates of last nesting: 1878 was the +last year that the catch amounted to enough to keep +men in the business. I find I was at Cheboygan part +of the time, and got only a small number of birds in +1880, but some few nested (small body) that year.</p> + +<p class="center">Yours truly,</p> + +<p class="tdr smcap">H. T. Phillips.</p> + +<hr class="chap" /> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_119" id="Page_119">[119]</a></span></p> + + +<p class="caption2"><a name="CHAPTER_XI" id="CHAPTER_XI">CHAPTER XI</a></p> + +<p class="caption2 pmb2">Recollections of "Old Timers"</p> + +<div class="dropcap">M</div> + +<p class="p0"><span class="hidden">M</span>R. OSCAR B. WARREN, now of Houghton, +Mich., has been interested for years in +collecting data about the Passenger Pigeon, +and kindly turned over to me his entire budget. Among +his letters is the following from Mr. H. T. Blodgett, +Superintendent of Public Schools, Ludington, Mich., +dated November 19, 1904:</p> + +<p>. . . Your pigeon is a stranger to me, or rather +has been a stranger for six or more years. I can distinctly +remember clouds of them, darkening the sky, +almost, in Pennsylvania, thirty years ago. Later, in +Michigan, they were abundant, coming to this part of the +State as soon as the snow was gone, picking up the +beech nuts and "shack" of the woods. After a few +weeks' flying about and feeding they would disappear; +reappearing again in June, young pigeons, fat, and the +choicest eating. They would stay a few weeks, not +more than about three weeks, going about July 1. +During this visit the birds haunted the thick woods, +and would call from the shade of the leaves of beech, +maple, and hemlock trees through the heat of the day, +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_120" id="Page_120">[120]</a></span> +feeding mornings and evenings on the sprouted beech +nuts under the leaves.</p> + +<p>There would often be a third appearance in September, +when I have seen buckwheat fields blue with +them. Also fall-sowed wheat fields would be so covered +with them that the farmer had to watch his fields to +save the seed he had sowed.</p> + +<p>During the spring and also the fall visit, flocks +searching for feeding ground could be called down +from flight and induced to light on trees near where the +call was sounded. The call was one in imitation of +the pigeon's own call, given either as a peculiar throat +sound (liable to make the throat sore if too often repeated) +or with a silk band between two blocks of +wood, like this</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 558px;"> +<img src="images/ip_120.png" width="558" height="120" alt="" /> +<p class="fig_caption">The pigeon call</p> +</div> + +<p>held between the lips and teeth and blown like a blade +of grass between the thumbs. By biting or pressing +with the teeth at (A) (A) the tension upon the silk +band would be increased, raising the tone of the call or +relaxing for a lower note. Cleverly used, it was very +successful in calling pigeons feeding in small flocks to +alight.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_121" id="Page_121">[121]</a></span></p> + +<p>Much to my regret I have seen none of the beautiful +birds for about six years. The savage warfare upon +them, from nesting place to nesting place by pot-hunters +and villainous fellows who barreled them for market, +with nets and every brutal means for wholesale destruction, +has driven them, I know not whither. If there are +considerable flocks of them anywhere, I should be glad +to know it.</p> + +<p>I wish I might help you. Such things as are here +hastily recalled and written will not be likely to afford +anything of interest, but if there is any thought or anything +in it, it is cheerfully given.</p> + +<p>On the great sand bluffs which line our shores in many +places, flocks of pigeons in passing would fly so low +that a man with a club could knock them down. At +Lincoln, three miles north of here, nets were put on the +top of the hills, like gill nets, to catch them in their +flight.</p> + +<p>They were never very successful.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 553px;"> +<img src="images/ip_121.png" width="553" height="255" alt="" /> +<p class="fig_caption">Showing the method of placing pigeon net</p> +</div> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_122" id="Page_122">[122]</a></span></p> + +<p class="hanging">(<i>Notes by the Allen Brothers, Joseph and Isaac, of +Manchester, Mich. A copy of their letter was received +through kindness of L. Whitney Watkins, of +Manchester, Mich.</i>)</p> + +<p>We have had about fifty years' experience in the +business [pigeon catching], as we used to help our +father as long ago as we can recollect, he being one of +the best pigeoners in his day, working a great deal at +the business in the summer season. Until we were +twenty years old we lived on the shores of Lake Ontario +in Wayne County, N. Y.</p> + +<p>The pigeons used to have a flying course along the +shore of the lake on their way to the Montezuma +marshes after salt. Pigeons are very fond of salt, or, +rather, brine. It seems to be a necessary article for +them. Their course was generally from west to east. +They seldom flew west by the same route. How far +they came, we could not tell; perhaps from this State +or perhaps farther west. Sometimes they would go +west by the same route. If so, they were much easier +to catch than when going east. When going east they +were looking for salt; when west, for food.</p> + +<p>They used to commence to fly about the 1st of April +and keep it up until the middle of June. After that +time they would scatter over the country, and did not +fly in large flocks as in the spring.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_123" id="Page_123">[123]</a></span></p> + +<p>It would be hard to make any estimate of their numbers +that people would believe at this late day. I was +going to say that a thousand million could have been +seen in the air all at once. There would be days and +days when the air was alive with them, hardly a break +occurring in a flock for half a day at a time. Flocks +stretched as far as a person could see, one tier above +another. I think it would be safe to say that millions +could have been seen at the same time.</p> + +<p>In the year 1854 we moved to Michigan, settling +near Adrian, where we found pigeons quite plentiful. +When they were flying here (Adrian) they seemed to +scatter over the State, having no regular course.</p> + +<p>The supply of pigeons kept very regular here for +about twenty-five or thirty years. About the time we +came west the pigeons became scarce in New York, +and very few have been seen there since. It is five +years (1890) since we have seen or heard of any being +seen in this State (Michigan) or in any other.</p> + +<p>Our "pigeoning" was more for sport than profit, +and we liked a nice broiled pigeon for breakfast about +as well as anything we could have, especially when they +were worth $6.00 per dozen. If the pigeons had been +sent to the New York market they could have been sold +for big prices, as pigeons sold for larger and better +prices than any other game in that market. Our father +did not like the idea of sending pigeons to New York +for a market.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_124" id="Page_124">[124]</a></span></p> + +<p>After we came to where we now live (Cambridge), +and when I was going to Adrian, I stopped at father's +on my road. He had been out catching pigeons that +morning and had secured 600 by 10 o'clock. He said +to me:</p> + +<p>"I wish you would take these pigeons to Adrian and +sell them if you can. Take them to the depot and sell +them for 10 cents per dozen. If you cannot sell them, +give them to the workingmen in the shops."</p> + +<p>I thought 10 cents was pretty cheap, so I went to selling +at 20 cents per dozen. When the men came out of +the work-shops I sold them all at 25 cents per dozen. +After I left for town, father caught 500 more, and took +them to Adrian the same day and sold them for 10 +cents per dozen. If the same lot of pigeons had been +shipped to New York, they would probably have +brought $2 or more per dozen.</p> + +<p>About a year from that time we caught 600 in one +day, and made up our minds we would ship them to +New York. We took them to Adrian to ship. When +we got to Adrian we saw father, who, after inquiring +about our intentions concerning their shipment, said:</p> + +<p>"It is foolish for you to send them, as they will never +be heard from."</p> + +<p>He advised us to dispose of them for 25 cents per +dozen; this was the highest price pigeons were worth +in Adrian. To please him we tried to sell them for that +price, but could not, so, taking them to the express +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_125" id="Page_125">[125]</a></span> +office, we shipped them. In about four days the returns +came, netting us 70 cents per dozen, about the lowest +price we ever got. They explained that the pigeons +had been poorly handled or they would have brought +more. This was thirty-five years ago, <i>and these were +probably the first pigeons shipped from this State to +New York</i>.</p> + +<p>We have shipped thousands since. They would +probably average $2 per dozen. We have sold them as +high as $3.75 per dozen and have seen them quoted as +high as $6 per dozen. A pigeoner from Pennsylvania +told us he shipped two barrels at one time and got $5.50 +per dozen. We caught 2,400 one week, having them +all on hand at one time. We got a market report from +New York where they were quoted at $6.50 per dozen. +We packed and shipped ours as soon as possible. When +they reached market they sold for $1.50 per dozen. +The army of pigeoners had struck a big nesting in the +State of Wisconsin the same week we caught ours, and +they shipped them to market by the wholesale. The +market dropped from $6.50 to $1.25 in one week.</p> + +<p>The pigeon business was very profitable for men +who were used to it, and there were probably from one +to three hundred men in the trade. When the pigeons +changed their location, the pigeoners would follow +them, sometimes going over a thousand miles.</p> + +<p>When this army of men had good luck they would +ship them by the hundreds of barrels. Probably +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_126" id="Page_126">[126]</a></span> +as many as five hundred barrels have been shipped to +New York and Boston in one day. Our commission +man in New York wrote us that 100 barrels a day +could be sold there without affecting the market but +very little.</p> + +<p>I was at a pigeon nesting in the State of Pennsylvania +where there were from three to five hundred men +catching pigeons and squabs. It was a great sight to +see the birds going back and forth after food. When +nesting in such large bodies, they leave the food in +the near vicinity for their young. If they can find +plenty of food, they nest in large bodies; if not, they +scatter over the country and nest in scattered colonies.</p> + +<p>The nesting I mentioned in Pennsylvania was within +one mile of the cleared lands. We camped within two +miles of the nesting. The pigeons kept up a continual +roaring by their combined twittering and cooing, so +that it could be heard for miles away by night as well +as day.</p> + +<p>Sometimes it is almost impossible to catch the pigeons. +At the nesting mentioned the most experienced hands +found it impossible to take large numbers. The whole +crowd of men could not catch more than one man ought +to have caught under the circumstances.</p> + +<p>The young pigeons (squabs) were much sought after +in New York and Boston, and if sent in moderate numbers +brought big prices, usually about two dollars per +dozen. When the squabs were old enough to market, +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_127" id="Page_127">[127]</a></span> +the army of pigeoners (estimated to be about five hundred) +commenced taking them. Entering the woods in +which the nesting was located, they cut down the trees +right and left, cutting the timber over thousands of +acres. When a tree fell, bringing with it the squabs, +they picked the young birds up, sometimes getting as +many as two dozen from one tree. The large trees, +which might have yielded fifty or a hundred, were left +standing. Our company of five took in two days thirteen +barrels of squabs, averaging 400 to the barrel.</p> + +<p>There were shipped from two stations on the Erie +road in one day 200 barrels of these young pigeons. +If they had been old birds, they would not have broken +the market, but this was too many squabs, and the price +dropped 25 to 45 cents per dozen.</p> + +<p>Osborn told me that he once caught 3,500 at one +catch. It was at a big nesting in the State of Wisconsin. +He had an enormous flock baited. He said that he put +out as high as forty bushels of shelled corn at one time +on the bed where he caught this large number. For +a trap, he had constructed a board pen built up from +the ground four or five feet high. This pen was about +one hundred feet long by twenty feet wide. He took +three large-sized nets, and, tying them together, set +them on this pen. He had feeding pens built by the +side of the trap-pen, so when he made a catch he could +drive the pigeons into the feeding pens and fatten them +for market, these "stall-fed" birds bringing much +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_128" id="Page_128">[128]</a></span> +higher prices than poor birds. This large catch filled +all his feeding pens. He said he could have made +another catch fully as large as the one just mentioned, +in one-half hour afterward but, having no room, he +could not take care of any more.</p> + +<p>This method of catching pigeons was much the best +when they were to be preserved alive. It was rather a +late invention in the pigeon-netting business. We have +caught with one net in the same way as many as four +hundred at one time. With a net set on the ground +we have taken from three to five hundred a great many +times. In this latter manner, a brother of mine caught +556 with one net. Without help, in one day I have +caught from thirteen to fourteen hundred out of a flock +as they were flying over.</p> + +<p>We have two ways of pigeoning. One is catching +out of flocks as they are flying over; the other is catching +baited pigeons. One way of bringing the flocks +out of the air was by using live pigeons kept for that +purpose. These we called "fliers" and "stool-pigeons;" +generally from three to five fliers and two stool-pigeons. +For the "fliers" and "stools" we made what we called +"boots" of soft leather. These were slipped on the +leg a little above the foot. To the boots of the fliers +were fastened small stout cords from two to four rods +long, on the other end of which was fastened a small +bush. If the birds were flying high, we used a longer +string.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_129" id="Page_129">[129]</a></span></p> + +<p>The stool-pigeons were fastened to stools and set on +the "bed"; when the net was sprung the birds were +under it. The bed over which the net was sprung was +the same size as the net, or from thirty to forty feet +long by twelve to fifteen feet wide. It was made by +clearing the ground of all rubbish, and making it as clean +as a garden. Before the net was set it covered the bed. +We tied a rope to each of the front corners. On the +front side we used two spring stakes fastened in the +ground at the ends of the ropes, which were tied to the +stake about five feet from the ground. At one of the +stakes we built a bough house so that the rope from +the net would pass through the house. The back corners +were fastened with small, notched stakes which +were driven in the ground so that the notches faced the +bough house. We used what we called "flying staffs"—small +stakes about four feet long and the thickness +of a broom handle, with a notch cut in one end. We +also used two more small stakes to set the flying staffs +against, to hold the net when set. It took two to +properly set a net. Each one took a staff, stepped in +front, one at each corner, caught hold of the rope, and +crowded the front edge back of the back edge about six +inches. Then the flying staffs were placed against +the small stakes, notch end against the ropes. The net +was now crowded to the ground and the staffs slipped +into the notches of the stakes to hold the net in +place. The slack of the net was laid alongside the rope +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_130" id="Page_130">[130]</a></span> +on the ground. By crowding the net back, it sprung +the stakes over, which sprung the net. The stool-pigeons +were made to hover by pulling a line reaching +into the bough house, where the pigeoner awaited them +with his fliers.</p> + +<p>When a flock of pigeons came near enough to spy +the fliers, the pigeoner threw the tethered birds into +the air. They quickly flew the length of the line and +then hovered near the ground. They had the appearance +of feeding on the bed, which, of course, has been +supplied with food. The wild flock alighted and began +feeding. The net rope passing through the bough +house was pulled by the pigeoner, and this drew the +flying staffs from under the hooks, the staffs raised the +front edge of the net up about four feet, and over it +went as quick as a flash, covering or catching perhaps +five hundred at once.</p> + +<div id="fp130" class="figcenter" style="width: 464px;"> +<img src="images/fp_130.png" width="464" height="649" alt="" /> +<p class="fig_title">BAND-TAILED PIGEON<br />(<i>Columba fasciata</i>)</p> +<p class="fig_caption">Often mistaken for Passenger Pigeon</p> +</div> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_131" id="Page_131">[131]</a></span></p> + + +<p class="pmt2">Letter from James B. Purdy, of Plymouth, Mich.:</p> + +<p class="tdr">November, 1894.</p> + +<p class="p0"><span class="smcap">Oscar B. Warren</span>,<br /> +<span style="padding-left: 4em;">Palmer, Mich.</span></p> + +<p><span class="smcap">Dear Sir</span>:—Yours of November 24 received, asking +me to send notes on the Passenger Pigeon. In the +beginning I would say that I am now fifty-one years of +age, and I am writing this under the roof of the old +homestead where I was born, hence my memory of the +passenger pigeon for this locality extends back to my +early boyhood, when millions of pigeons visited this +locality on their spring and fall migrations, and during +their spring migrations comparatively few halted with +us to feed, but the great majority of them winged their +way in a high-flying flock of unbroken columns, sometimes +half a mile in length, to the north and west, probably +to their breeding grounds; but on their return, +from the first to the fifteenth of September, they would +swarm down on our newly sowed wheat fields until acres +of ground would be blue, and when they arose they +would darken the air and their wings would sound like +distant thunder. They were not so shy at this time of +the year, as part of them were young birds, which were +easily distinguished from the old ones by their speckled +breasts; and I would here state that, during both spring +and fall migrations, their greatest flight seemed to be +from sunrise until about nine or ten o'clock <span class="smcap">A.M.</span></p> + +<p>My father was an old pigeon catcher, and it was during +these fall migrations that he would go out in the +middle of a wheat field, build his bough house, set his +net, and prepare for the finest sport in which it was ever +my good fortune to participate; and many a time have +I been with him when he has caught hundreds of them +in a single morning. You may ask, What did you do +with so many pigeons? Well, I will tell you. We +skinned out the breasts, pickled them for two or three +days in weak brine, and then strung them on strings, +from one hundred and fifty to two hundred on a string, +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_132" id="Page_132">[132]</a></span> +and hung them up to dry in the same manner as dried +beef (I mean the breasts). Of course the remainder +of the carcasses we cooked for immediate use, or as much +of them as we needed for the family. Let me tell you +that those pigeon breasts were a dainty morsel, and +would last as long as dried beef and was far its superior +in taste.</p> + +<p>While rummaging through the attic a few days since, +I came across the old pigeon stool upon which the stool-pigeon +was tied, which my father used so many years +ago, and it carried me back to my boyhood and conveyed +to my mind vivid memories of the past.</p> + +<p>The pigeons continued to visit us in great abundance +for a number of years, although there would be an occasional +season when there would not be so many. As +the years rolled by they became fewer in number until +in the fall of 1876, when I saw my last Passenger +Pigeons (a small flock of ten or fifteen), I tried hard to +procure some for my cabinet, but failed.</p> + +<p>One peculiar habit of the Passenger Pigeons was +that during their migrations, should they alight and +their crops were filled with inferior food, they would +vomit it up in order to fill themselves with something +better should they find it.</p> + +<p class="pmt2">F. N. Lawrence stated in <i>Forest and Stream</i> of February +18, 1899, that when a boy, in the late forties, +he spent most of his time on his grandfather's country +seat at Manhattanville, on the North River. In those +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_133" id="Page_133">[133]</a></span> +years the wild pigeon flew south on both sides of the +North River by the thousands in the fall, and in lesser +numbers flew north in the spring.</p> + +<p>He also wrote: "These migrations occurred with the +utmost regularity. The first easterly storm after September +1st, clearing up with a strong northwest wind, +was as surely followed by a flight of wild pigeons as +the sun was to rise. During such storms, I have passed +many a sleepless night watching to catch the first change +of wind, and when it veered northwest, daybreak found +me on the river bank watching for the flight that never +failed. Ah! how my heart jumped as flock after flock +of wild pigeons came flying over Fort Washington like +small clouds. I have shot a great many of them, but +alas, like the buffalo, they are almost exterminated."</p> + +<p class="pmt2">I have run across what was evidently my first diary, +dated 1872, when I was fourteen years old. I make the +following extracts from it:</p> + +<p>April 6th. "Pigeon flew this morning."</p> + +<p>Then on April 8th I mention 9 pigeons shot in the +afternoon by my father, and say "they flew very thick +in the morning."</p> + +<p>The record, like most boys' diaries, seems to have +many skips, for the next item about pigeons is on the +11th of May, saying that I shot 2 that day and on the +1st of June I mention that I killed 3 pigeons in the +morning, "the most I ever have shot at one time."</p> + +<p>My marksmanship seems to have improved after that, +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_134" id="Page_134">[134]</a></span> +for on the 7th of June I mention shooting 7, and on the +8th 8 (I used to go every morning), and on the 10th +I got 8 again and on the 11th 12, and so on with varying +success. On June 11 I mention that the young ones +were beginning to fly plentifully.</p> + +<p class="tdr">W. B. M.</p> + + +<p class="pmt2">Extract from a letter written by the late Alexander +McDougall of Duluth, February 8, 1905:</p> + +<p class="pmt2">I have been about Lake Superior since 1863. Have +never known any rookery near the lake or in Lake +Superior Basin, although I think they did breed near +Lake Superior, for they were in such great quantities +about the lake during the whole summer. In 1871 +when this town (Duluth) was first building, there were +millions of them about here. In the Lake Superior +region there are lots of berries but no beech nuts, except +near Grand Island, 40 miles east of Marquette. +It is likely if there was any roosting on Lake Superior, +this would be the most favorable place. . . . The +pigeon was numerous on Lake Superior in 1872, for I +have recollections of catching some that year while captain +of the Steamer <i>Japan</i>. During foggy weather and +at night, they would alight on the boat in great numbers, +tired out. On foggy mornings, the blowing of our +whistle would start them up. Often, when they would +light on the eave of our overhanging deck, we could +sneak along under the deck and quickly snatch one. I +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_135" id="Page_135">[135]</a></span> +remember having caught several in that way. As +clearly as I can remember, they left all at once along +about 1875. I have seen a few here along about 1882, +and one fall in October, I think, of 1884, I saw two or +three, the last I remember of them.</p> + +<p class="pmt2 tdr"><span class="smcap">Kalamazoo, Mich.</span>, June 13th, 1905.</p> + +<p class="smcap p0">Wm. B. Mershon, Saginaw, Mich.:</p> + +<p class="center" style="letter-spacing:3em">* * * * *</p> + +<p>It seems too bad that this noble bird should have +been blotted out. The last flock, a small one, that I +ever saw was in 1891. I saw pigeons in 1883, 1885 +and 1886.</p> + +<p>I have been in their nesting grounds. The males and +the females sit on the nest on alternate days. When +their big nesting was near South Haven in this State, +the birds used to fly over this town every day in their +quest for food, some of them going fully seventy-five +miles in an air line from their nesting. One day it +would be a continuous stream of male birds and the +next day it would be the females.</p> + +<p>How the netters did massacre them and ship them +away by thousands and thousands. Many were kept +alive and shipped all over the country for pigeon +shoots. The last wild pigeons ever used for this purpose +that I know of was at John Watson's Grand Grossing, +Chicago, Illinois, in 1886. I asked Watson, in +February last, where he got those birds, and he said +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_136" id="Page_136">[136]</a></span> +from Indian Territory, so I think the netters finally +cleaned up what was left of the big flight that perished +from the sleet and fog at their last nesting in Michigan, +near Petoskey, in 1881.</p> + +<p>Their nests were built and eggs laid in late April. A +big wind and storm of sleet came up just at dusk and +the birds left; there was a big fog on Lake Michigan, +and the birds were swallowed up by the storm; anyhow +they disappeared then and there. I have heard tell of +the beach being strewn for miles with dead pigeons, and +I heard an old woodsman tell of the stench arising from +dead pigeons in the woods.</p> + +<p>It was that storm of ice that surely wiped them out.</p> + +<p>I was at Petoskey in 1882, and no pigeons showed up +that year.</p> + +<p>What a host of memories of boyhood days are recalled, +when one thinks of the wild pigeons. I can see +myself a boy again, equipped with a long, single barrel +shot gun, shot pouch and powder flask a-dangling, a +box of G. D. caps in my pocket, and I a-sneakin' and +a-sneakin' up for a shot at an old cock pigeon perched +away up on a dead limb at the top of a tall tree. How +handsome is that old cock with neck outstretched and +tail a-streamin', the richness of his coloring, the red of +the breast, the metallic sheen of that outstretched neck +is of marvelous luster as bathed in the glories of the +morning sunlight. He turns his head! He is onto +that boy who is sneaking so carefully along the old +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_137" id="Page_137">[137]</a></span> +rail fence. Carefully the gun is raised and aimed; the +trigger is pressed. "Ker-whang" in a cloud of smoke +is the loud report. The old cock, startled, flies away. +"Missed him, by gosh!" is the boy's lament as he starts +to reload, whilst in unison with the rattle of the grains +of powder in the flask, there comes drifting down on the +morning breeze, slowly wafting here and there, a long +tail feather from that noble bird to show that though +missed, yet the aim was true.</p> + +<p class="center">Yours truly,</p> + +<p class="tdr smcap">Ben O. Bush.</p> + + +<p class="pmt2 tdr"><span class="smcap">Kalamazoo, Mich.</span>, June 17th, 1905.</p> + +<p class="smcap p0">Dear Mershon:</p> + +<p>Do not understand me as to my assertion, that in nesting +time the wild pigeons in feeding, the males always +alternate with the females, each having a day off and +a day on throughout the period of incubation and the +rearing of the young. It depended upon the amount of +food and the distance that they had to go to get it, +and they changed their habit according to the conditions. +If they had to make a long flight, as was the case when +they passed over here, then they alternated; but I will +agree with you that their habit in nesting time when +food was plenty and not far away, was for the males to +sit first in the morning, then the females, and sometimes +the males a second time, all in the same day. Pigeons +require a great deal of water, and sometimes their crops +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_138" id="Page_138">[138]</a></span> +would show that they had been to water prior to their +return flight, while at other times the food in their crops +would be dry.</p> + +<p>Some other boys and I had a lot of wild birds that +we bought alive from a netter. We put the birds in the +loft of a big barn where there was a lot of beans that +had not been threshed. We would put in a big trough +of water for them every day. The way those birds +threshed out those bean pods was a caution. They became +very fat and fairly tame. What wouldn't I give +to hear the call note of Tete! Tete! Tete! of the pigeons +once more.</p> + +<p class="center">Yours truly,</p> + +<p class="tdr smcap">Ben O. Bush.</p> + +<hr class="tb" /> + +<p>J. S. Van Cleef of Poughkeepsie, N. Y., wrote in +<i>Forest and Stream</i> of May 20, 1899, as follows:</p> + +<p class="pmt2">For many years up to about 1850, flocks of wild +pigeons in the fall were quite abundant, and were very +often taken with nets, which was a very favorite way of +capturing them at that time, but very few, if any, have +been taken in this manner since that time. A few small +flocks appeared in the fifties, but not to such an extent +that an attempt was made to capture them through the +aid of pigeon nets, and I find upon inquiry that the experience +of others agrees with my own.</p> + +<p>The last flight of pigeons of which I have any knowledge +occurred in the seventies, where they nested in the +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_139" id="Page_139">[139]</a></span> +mountain range south of the Beaverkill in the lower part +of Ulster County. There were two flights about this +time, one small one, and in the course of two or three +years this was followed by a flight where the pigeons +appeared in great numbers.</p> + +<p>This flock had nested in Missouri in the month of +April, and the most of the squabs were killed by those +who were in the business of furnishing squabs for the +market.</p> + +<p>When the nesting was over the entire flock went to +Michigan, where they nested again, and they were followed +there by the same persons who again destroyed +most of the squabs. When they left Michigan they +took their flight eastward, and telegrams were sent all +over that part of the country where the pigeons would +be likely to nest a third time, and as soon as they settled +in the Catskills these persons were apprised of the location +and very soon appeared on the scene.</p> + +<p>The party, about thirty strong, stopped at Monson's, +whose house was located on the upper Beaverkill, about +three miles from the nest.</p> + +<p>This nest was a mile from the Willewemoc Lodge, +where I happened to be during the whole time that the +pigeons were in their roost. It was claimed at the +time that the squabs were sent down to New York by +the ton, but as to this I have no personal knowledge, +though I do know that during the nesting all, or nearly +all, of the squabs were destroyed, and this was done by +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_140" id="Page_140">[140]</a></span> +invading the grounds at night and striking the trunks +of the trees with a heavy axe or sledge hammer, upon +which the squabs would tumble out of the nests on the +ground, and be picked up and carried to Monson's and +shipped to New York the next day.</p> + +<p>I do know, however, that from a natural ice house +and the ice house belonging to our club, these persons +obtained not less than fifteen tons of ice for the purpose +of preserving the squabs.</p> + +<p>This is the last flight of pigeons that has ever taken +place in this part of the country, so far as I have any +knowledge, and I am very sure that if there had been +any I would have known it.</p> + +<p> +<span class="smcap">Poughkeepsie, N. Y.</span>, May 12.<br /> +</p> + +<hr class="chap" /> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_141" id="Page_141">[141]</a></span></p> + + + + +<p class="caption2"><a name="CHAPTER_XII" id="CHAPTER_XII">CHAPTER XII</a></p> + +<p class="caption2">The Last of the Pigeons</p> + +<p class="caption3 pmb2">From "The Auk," July, 1897, under the title "Additional Records +of the Passenger Pigeon (<i>Ectopistes migratorius</i>.)"</p> + +<div class="dropcap">M</div> + +<p class="p0"><span class="hidden">M</span>OST of the notes on the Passenger Pigeon +recorded in the past year have referred to +single birds or pairs. It is with much pleasure +that I now call attention to a flock of some fifty, +observed in southern Missouri. I am not only greatly +indebted to Mr. Chas. H. Holden, Jr., for this interesting +information, but for the present of a beautiful +pair which he sent me in the flesh, he having shot them +as they flew rapidly overhead. Mr. Holden was, at +the time (December 17, 1896), hunting quail in Attie, +Oregon County, Mo. The residents of this hamlet +had not seen any pigeons there before in some years.</p> + +<p>Simon Pokagon, Chief of the remaining Pottawattamie +tribe, and probably the best posted man on the wild +pigeon in Michigan, writes me under date of October +16, 1896: "I am creditably informed that there was a +small nesting of pigeons last spring not far from the +headwaters of the Au Sable River in Michigan." Mr. +Chase S. Osborn, State Game and Fish Warden of +Michigan, under date, Sault Ste. Marie, March 2, 1897, +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_142" id="Page_142">[142]</a></span> +writes: "Passenger Pigeons are now very rare indeed +in Michigan, but some have been seen in the eastern +parts of Chippewa County, in the upper peninsula, every +year. As many as a dozen or more were seen in this +section in one flock last year, and I have reason to believe +that they breed here in a small way. One came +into this city last summer and attracted a great deal of +attention by flying and circling through the air with +the tame pigeons. I have a bill in the Legislature of +Michigan, closing the season for killing wild pigeons +for ten years."</p> + +<p class="tdr"> +<span class="smcap">Ruthven Deane</span><span style="padding-right:1em;">,</span><br /> +Chicago, Ill.</p> + + +<p class="caption4">From "The Auk," April, 1898, Vol. 15, Page 184, under the title, +"The Passenger Pigeon (<i>Ectopistes migratorius</i>) in +Wisconsin and Nebraska."</p> + +<p>Our records of this species during the past few years +have referred in most instances, to very small flocks and +generally to pairs or individuals. In <i>The Auk</i> for +July, 1897, I recorded a flock of some fifty pigeons +from southern Missouri, but such a number has been +very unusual. It is now very gratifying to be able to +record still larger numbers and I am indebted to Mr. +A. Fugleberg of Oshkosh, Wis., for the following letter +of information, under date of September 1, 1897: "I +live on the west shore of Lake Winnebago, Wis. About +6 o'clock on the morning of August 14, 1897, I saw a +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_143" id="Page_143">[143]</a></span> +flock of wild pigeons flying over the bay from Fisherman's +Point to Stony Beach, and I assure you it reminded +me of old times, from 1855 to 1880, when +pigeons were plentiful every day. So I dropped my +work and stood watching them. This flock was followed +by six more flocks, each containing about thirty-five +to eighty pigeons, except the last, which only contained +seven. All these flocks passed over within half +an hour. One flock of some fifty birds flew within gunshot +of me, the others all the way from one hundred +to three hundred yards from where I stood." Mr. +Fugleberg is an old hunter and has had much experience +with the wild pigeon. In a later letter dated September +4, 1897, he writes: "On Sept. 2, 1897, I was hunting +prairie chickens near Lake Butte des Morts, Wis., +where I met a friend who told me that a few days +previous he had seen a flock of some twenty-five wild +pigeons and that they were the first he had seen for +years." This would appear as though these birds were +instinctively working back to their old haunts, as the +Winnebago region was once a favorite locality. We +hope that Wisconsin will follow Michigan in making +a close season on wild pigeons for ten years, and thus +give them a chance to multiply, and, perhaps, regain, in +a measure, their former abundance.</p> + +<p>In <i>Forest and Stream</i> of Sept. 25, 1897, appeared a +short notice of "Wild Pigeons in Nebraska," by "W. F. +R." Through the kindness of the editor he placed me in +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_144" id="Page_144">[144]</a></span> +correspondence with the observer, W. F. Rightmire, to +whom I am indebted for the following details given in +his letter of Nov. 5, 1897: "I was driving along the +highway north of Cook, Johnson County, Neb., on +August 17, 1897. I came to the timber skirting the +head stream of the Nemaha River, a tract of some +forty acres of woodland lying along the course of the +stream, upon both banks of the same, and there feeding +on the ground or perched upon the trees were the +Passenger Pigeons I wrote the note about. The flock +contained seventy-five to one hundred birds. I did not +frighten them, but as I drove along the road the feeding +birds flew up and joined the others, and as soon as I +had passed by they returned to the ground and continued +feeding. While I revisited the same locality, I +failed to find the pigeons. I am a native of Tompkins +County, N. Y., and have often killed wild pigeons in +their flights while a boy on the farm, helped to net +them, and have hunted them in Pennsylvania, so that I +readily knew the birds in question the moment I saw +them." I will here take occasion to state that in my +record of the Missouri flock (<i>Auk</i>, July, 1897, p. 316) +the date on which they were seen (Dec. 17, 1896) was, +through error, omitted.</p> + +<p class="tdr"> +<span class="smcap">Ruthven Deane</span><span style="padding-right:1em;">,</span><br /> +Chicago, Ill.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_145" id="Page_145">[145]</a></span></p> + + +<p class="caption4">From "The Auk," January, 1896, under the title, "Additional +Records of the Passenger Pigeon (<i>Ectopistes migratorius</i>) +in Wisconsin and Illinois."</p> + +<p>I am indebted to my friend, Mr. John L. Stockton, +of Highland Park, Ill., for information regarding the +occurrence of this pigeon in Wisconsin. While trout +fishing on the Little Oconto River in the Reservation +of the Menominee Indians, Mr. Stockton saw, early in +June, 1895, a flock of some ten pigeons for several consecutive +days near his camp. They were first seen while +alighting near the bank of the river, where they had +evidently come to drink. I am very glad to say that +they were not molested.</p> + +<p>Mr. John F. Ferry of Lake Forest, Ill., has kindly +notified me of the capture of a young female pigeon +which was killed in that town on August 7, 1895. The +bird was brought to him by a boy who had shot it with +a rifle ball, and although in a mutilated condition he +preserved it for his collection.</p> + +<p>I have recently received a letter from Dr. H. V. +Ogden, Milwaukee, Wis., informing me of the capture +of a young female pigeon which was shot by Dr. Ernest +Copeland on the 1st of October, 1895. These gentlemen +were camping at the time in the northeast corner +of Delta County, Mich. (Northern Peninsula), in the +large hardwood forest that runs through that part of +the State. They saw no other of the species.</p> + +<p class="tdr"> +<span class="smcap">Ruthven Deane</span><span style="padding-right:1em;">,</span><br /> +Chicago, Ill.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_146" id="Page_146">[146]</a></span></p> + + +<p class="caption4">From "The Auk," July, 1895, under the title, "Additional Records +of the Passenger Pigeon in Illinois and Indiana."</p> + +<p>The occurrence of the wild pigeon (<i>Ectopistes migratorius</i>) +in this section of the country, and, in fact, +throughout the West generally, is becoming rarer every +year, and such observations and data as come to our +notice should be of sufficient interest to record.</p> + +<p>I have, in the past few months, made inquiry of a +great many sportsmen who are constantly in the field +and in widely distributed localities, regarding any observations +on the wild pigeon, and but few of them +have seen a specimen in the past eight or ten years. N. +W. Judy & Co., of St. Louis, Mo., dealers in poultry, +and the largest receivers of game in that section, wrote +as follows: "We have had no wild pigeons for two +seasons; the last we received were from Siloam Springs, +Ark. We have lost all track of them, and our netters +are lying idle."</p> + +<p>I have made frequent inquiry among the principal +game dealers in Chicago and cannot learn of a single +specimen that has been received in our markets in several +years. I am indebted to the following gentlemen for +notes and observations regarding this species, which +cover a period of eight years. I have various other +records of the occurrence of the pigeon in Illinois and +Indiana, but do not consider them sufficiently authentic +to record, as to the casual observer this species and the +Carolina dove are often confounded.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_147" id="Page_147">[147]</a></span></p> + +<p>A fine male pigeon was killed by my brother, Mr. +Chas. E. Deane, April 18, 1887, while shooting snipe +on the meadows near English Lake, Ind. The bird +was alone and flew directly over him. I have the specimen +now in my collection.</p> + +<p>In September, 1888, while teal shooting on Yellow +River, Stark County, Ind., I saw a pigeon fly up the +river and alight a short distance off. I secured the bird +which proved to be a young female.</p> + +<p>On Sept. 17, 1887, Mr. John F. Hazen and his +daughter Grace, of Cincinnati, Ohio, while boating on +the Kankakee River near English Lake, Ind., observed +a small flock of pigeons feeding in a little oak +grove bordering the river. They reported the birds +as quite tame and succeeded in shooting eight specimens.</p> + +<p>Mr. Frank M. Woodruff, Assistant Curator, Chicago +Academy of Sciences, informs me that on Dec. 10, +1890, he received four Passenger Pigeons in the flesh, +from Waukegan, Ill., at which locality they were said +to have been shot. Three of the birds were males and +one was a female. One pair he disposed of, the other +two I have recently seen in his collection. In the fall of +1891, Mr. Woodruff also shot a pair at Lake Forest, +Ill., which he mounted and placed in the collection of +the Cook County Normal School, Englewood, Ill.</p> + +<p>In the spring of 1893, Mr. C. B. Brown, of Chicago, +Ill., collected a nest of the wild pigeon containing two +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_148" id="Page_148">[148]</a></span> +eggs at English Lake, Ind., and secured both parent +birds. Mr. Brown describes the nest as being placed +on the horizontal branch of a burr oak about ten feet +from the trunk and from forty to fifty feet from the +ground. He did not preserve the birds, but the eggs +are still in his collection. The locality where this nest +was found was a short distance from where the Hazens +found their birds six years before.</p> + +<p>Mr. John F. Ferry informs me that three pigeons +were seen near the Des Plaines River in Lake County, +Ill., in September, 1893. One of these was shot by Mr. +F. C. Farwell.</p> + +<p>In an article which appeared in the Chicago <i>Tribune</i> +Nov. 25, 1894, entitled "Last of His Race," Mr. E. B. +Clark related his experience in observing a fine male +wild pigeon in Lincoln Park, Chicago, Ill., in April, +1893. I quote from the article: "He was perched on +the limb of a soft maple and was facing the rising sun. +I have never seen in any cabinet a more perfect specimen. +The tree upon which he was resting was at the +southeast corner of the park. There were no trees between +him and the lake to break from his breast the +fullness of the glory of the rising sun. The pigeon +allowed me to approach within twenty yards of his +resting place and I watched him through a powerful +glass that permitted as minute an examination as if he +were in my hand. I was more than astonished to find +here, close to the pavements of a great city, the representative +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_149" id="Page_149">[149]</a></span> +of a race which always loved the wild woods, +and, which I thought had passed away from Illinois +forever."</p> + +<p>Mr. R. W. Stafford of Chicago, Ill., who has shot +hundreds of pigeons in former years within the present +city limits of Chicago, informs me that in the latter +part of September, 1894, while shooting at Marengo, +Ill., he saw a flock of six flying swiftly over and apparently +alight in a small grove some distance off.</p> + +<p>The above records will show that while in this section +of the country large flocks of Passenger Pigeons +are a thing of the past, yet they are still occasionally +observed in small detachments or single birds.</p> + +<p>A. B. Covert of Ann Arbor, Mich., wrote under date +of Oct. 27, 1894: "Prior to the spring of 1881 the +wild pigeon was everywhere a common bird of passage +throughout the southern part of Michigan and nested +commonly in the northern part. My home, in 1880, +and for a few years after, was at Cadillac, Mich., and +there was at that time a nesting place near Muskrat +Lake in Missaukee County. Thousands of the birds +were killed there. In the spring of 1881 the birds +failed to make their appearance, and since then have +been very rare. Nov. 23, 1892, I secured one male +and two young females; these were killed in Scio, Washtenaw +County, Oct. 9, 1893; one male near Ypsilanti, +Mich., Sept. 27, 1894; one female killed at Honey +Brook, Scio, Washtenaw County. There is also a +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_150" id="Page_150">[150]</a></span> +female bird in this city that was killed in Livingston +County in October, 1892."</p> + +<p>In a bulletin of the Michigan Ornithological Club, +Vol. II, No. 3-4, July to December, 1898, Mr. A. B. +Covert, the club's president, tells of seeing a flock of +about two hundred pigeons. On Oct. 1, 1898, in Washtenaw +County, Mich., he watched a large number of +them all day.</p> + +<p>Mr. Stewart E. White writes from Ann Arbor under +date of Feb. 9, 1894: "My notebooks are not here so +I cannot give exact dates, but I can remember distinctly +every specimen I ever saw. I observed one flock of +about sixty in Kent County in the fall, the last of October +or first of November, 1890. At Mackinac Island at +various times in September of 1889 I saw parts of a +large flock, of say two hundred. My field experience +in the western part of Michigan has been quite extensive +and thorough, but these two flocks are all I ever recorded."</p> + +<p>F. M. Falconer of Hillsdale, Mich., on Dec. 3, 1904, +writes to Mr. Warren as follows: "During the last +week of March, 1892, one of the students here shot a +nice male. There were two together, but only one was +secured. That summer I saw a small flock feeding in +some thick woods along the banks of a stream in which +I was fishing, in Chautauqua County, N. Y. There +were eight or ten birds at least, and perhaps many more, +as they scattered along in spots."</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_151" id="Page_151">[151]</a></span></p> + +<p>Mr. T. E. Douglas of Grayling, Mich., reports that +in the year 1900 he saw three Passenger Pigeons on the +East Branch of Au Sable River, Michigan, and about +five years previous to that date a flock of ten was seen +around George's Lake, which is eight miles southwest +of West Branch, Michigan.</p> + +<p>I also have a record of one pigeon taken by +Mr. John H. Sage, in Portland, Conn., in October, +1889.</p> + +<p>In May, 1904, Hon. Chase S. Osborn wrote:</p> + +<p class="pmt2"><span class="smcap">Dear Mr. Mershon</span>: I haven't much information +relating to the pigeons in this section of the country. In +fact, the pigeon was practically gone from the north +when I first visited the country in 1880. I remember +seeing a flock of about three hundred in Florence +County, Wis., which would probably be on a line fifty +miles south of here, in 1883. In 1884 I saw a flock in +that same section, in the woods northwest of Florence, +of about fifty. In 1890 I six of these birds near the +mouth of the Little Munoskong River in this county. +This river empties into Munoskong Bay, about thirty +miles southeast of here. In 1897 I saw a single wild +pigeon, flying with the tame pigeons around this town. +It was a remarkable sight and attracted the attention of +many local bird lovers. There is no doubt that it was a +pigeon, and it was absolutely alone as far as we could +discover.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_152" id="Page_152">[152]</a></span></p> + +<p>Upon inquiry here among old residents, I am told +that there was quite a large roost on a beech ridge +about forty miles west of here, which would be at a +point north of the present station of Eckerman. I have +been unable to learn just when this roosting place was +discontinued, but as near as I can make out from comparing +statements and records, it must have been in '78, +'79, or '80.</p> + +<p>I have heard of a large roosting place in northern +Wisconsin which was used as late as 1874 by vast numbers +of birds. It was located to the south and a little +west of Lac Vieux Desert. At the head of the Pike +River in Wisconsin, a point probably sixty-five miles +south of here, and west into that State, the pigeons +were seen in large numbers until 1872. As I understand +it, in the early days they were very likely to frequent +the same section year after year when not too +much disturbed.</p> + +<p>Mr. Newell A. Eddy of Bay City, Mich., under date +of Aug. 7, 1905, wrote me as follows:</p> + +<p class="pmt2">I find that I have but few notes regarding this +species. On Sept. 13, 1880, I took a single bird near +the city of Bangor, Maine. The sex was not determined. +This was an unusual capture for the place and +the time. A few years previous to that time, on a +canoeing trip to the headwaters of the Penobscot River, +I fell in with a small flock of a dozen or more in an old +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_153" id="Page_153">[153]</a></span> +burnt-over swamp, but was unable to secure any of +them.</p> + +<p>I presume that you have an abundance of notes on +the Passenger Pigeon in this section of the country at +the time it was so abundant here, as such information +is readily obtainable from any of the old inhabitants +of this locality. I had a very interesting interview the +other day with Mr. C. E. Jennison of this city, who +was one of our earliest settlers, and he gave me a great +deal of information about this bird in the earlier days +of Bay City. He also stated, which was quite interesting, +that six or seven years ago he saw a few birds at +Thunder Bay Island, near Alpena. This appears to +be his last record of this species.</p> + +<p>The most interesting information I have was obtained +from Mr. Birney Jennison, his son, who advised +me a few days ago while we were on our way to Point +Lookout, Saginaw Bay, that about the 15th of July, +this year, he saw a pair of these birds in a swale at +Point Lookout while roaming through the woods. He +and I visited the same locality about two weeks after +that, but saw nothing of them. Of course there is some +likelihood that the birds Mr. Jennison saw may have +been the common Carolina doves. Mr. Birney Jennison +also had a great deal of experience with this bird +in his younger days about Bay City, and there would +appear to be no question as to his ability to accurately +identify the bird.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_154" id="Page_154">[154]</a></span></p> + +<p class="pmt2">From Mr. Neal Brown, Warsaw, Wis., May 20, +1904:</p> + +<p class="pmt2 p0"><span class="smcap">Mr. W. B. Mershon</span>, Saginaw, Mich.</p> + +<p><span class="smcap">Dear Sir:</span>—Your favor at hand with reference to +the wild pigeon. It was, I think, three or four years +ago that, in hunting with Mr. Emerson Hough near +Babcock in this State in September, we killed an unmistakable +wild pigeon. I saw a few pigeons in the woods +in Forest County, in this State, about fifteen years ago. +About seven years ago I saw three near Wausau and +shot one of them. There was a pigeon roost for many +years in Wood County, in this State, but it has long +since disappeared.</p> + +<p>When I was a boy in southern Wisconsin in the 60's +and 70's, wild pigeons were so numerous as to almost +darken the air. In the early 70's there was a small roost +on Bark River, near Ft. Atkinson, in this State.</p> + +<p>The wild pigeon had practically disappeared in +southern Wisconsin as early as 1880, in fact, it was two +or three years before that that I saw the last of them.</p> + +<p>Charles W. Ward of Queens, L. I., New York, reports +that in October, 1883, he saw a flock of at least +one hundred Passenger Pigeons along the Manistee +River in Township 26-5 and the following year about +one dozen nested in a Spruce swamp near Orchard Lake +on his old homestead. He often saw the nest and the +birds. He remembers the time as being the season of +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_155" id="Page_155">[155]</a></span> +the year when huckleberries were ripe, for he was +berry-picking when he first observed them.</p> + +<p>The writer of the following newspaper clipping of +recent date is emphatically skeptical regarding the present-day +existence of even an isolated pigeon:</p> + +<p class="caption3">LAST PIGEON FLIGHT IN IOSCO IN 1880</p> + +<p class="caption4">MILLIONS PASSED THROUGH THEN, BUT THEY HAVE +NEVER BEEN THERE SINCE</p> + +<p><span class="smcap">Tawas, Mich.</span>, July 27.—John Sims, county game +and fish warden, ridicules the idea of flocks of wild +pigeons being found in Iosco County, as was reported +in some of the State papers. He says: "There are no +wild pigeons in Iosco County; nor have there been any +here since April 1, 1880. There fell about six inches +of snow on that day, then the weather cleared and the +sun rose bright and clear, but it was but for a short +time, as the air was clouded with pigeons going westward. +That was the first time they had been here for +a number of years, and, although it was Sunday, everyone +who had a gun was shooting or trying to shoot, and +there were lots of pigeons killed that day in nearly all +the streets of Tawas. There were simply millions of +them going westward, and those that were killed were +picked up out of the snow. Since that day there have +been no wild pigeons here. We have lots of mourning +doves here, and the writer has probably seen these. +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_156" id="Page_156">[156]</a></span> +There is a certain magazine that offers $50 for a pair +of wild pigeons, and I think the sportsmen would add +another $50 to it to have the wild pigeons with us +again."</p> + +<p>In the report of the Massachusetts commissioners on +fisheries and game for the year ending December 31, +1903, is to be found the following:</p> + +<p>The occurrence of the wild pigeon is a matter of +public and scientific interest, and for this reason, and not +because it is a game bird, reference to it is introduced +here. Deputy Samuel Parker, who is perfectly familiar +with the wild pigeon, makes mention of its appearance +at Wakefield this year as follows: "In September a +flock of wild pigeons, twenty-five or thirty in number, +came over Crystal Lake." This notice of the presence +of a species believed to be extinct is interesting and must +be important to ornithologists.<a name="FNanchor_C_3" id="FNanchor_C_3"></a> +<a href="#Footnote_C_3" class="fnanchor">[C]</a></p> + +<div class="footnote"> + +<p><a name="Footnote_C_3" id="Footnote_C_3"></a> +<a href="#FNanchor_C_3"><span class="label">[C]</span></a> I believe that this informant was mistaken—W. B. M.</p></div> + +<p>George King, guide and trapper, living in Otsego +County, Michigan, told me in 1904 that four years before +he had seen along Black River a flock of wild +pigeons, a dozen or more birds. He said there is no +mistake about it, because he was familiar with the wild +pigeon early in life. These alighted in a tree near him. +He said that in 1902, also, he heard the call of two +wild pigeons, although he hunted for the birds and did +not find them.</p> + +<div id="fp156" class="figcenter" style="width: 632px;"> +<img src="images/fp_156.png" width="632" height="431" alt="" /> +<p class="fig_title">COMPARATIVE SIZE OF PIGEON AND DOVE</p> +<p class="fig_caption">From photo furnished by Prof W. B. Burrows, of the Michigan Agricultural College</p> +</div> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_157" id="Page_157">[157]</a></span></p> + +<p>I believe that six wild pigeons were actually seen in +the latter part of April of 1905 near Vanderbilt, Mich., +by this George King. I have tested his honesty and +truthfulness time and time again. He told me he was +seated in the branches of an apple tree when he saw six +wild pigeons alight in another tree near him. He kept +perfectly still and watched their movements for about +thirty minutes. They flew from the old tree in which +they had alighted, underneath a beech tree and began +feeding on beech nuts from the ground. He says he +heard them call and they made the same old crowing +call of the wild pigeon. He was close to them; he is +perfectly familiar with the dove and knows that these +six were Passenger Pigeons. King has for many years +lived in the section that formerly was the great pigeon +nesting and feeding ground of northern Michigan.</p> + +<p class="tdr2 smcap">Michigan Agricultural College,</p> + +<p class="tdr">July 14, '05.</p> + +<p><span class="smcap">Dear Sir:</span>—I have been away for the past three +weeks and find your letter of June 27 here on my return. +The photographs sent you were those of the Passenger +Pigeon and the Carolina dove, the one of the two birds +being intended to show relative size and appearance. +It was taken from two of the best specimens in the +museum, placed at exactly the same distance from the +camera so that the picture shows the comparative size +exactly. The birds being so similar in general appearance, +the smaller one looks as if it were further away +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_158" id="Page_158">[158]</a></span> +than the larger, and this, I think, shows clearly how +impossible it is for the ordinary observer to discriminate +between these two species when seen separately in the +field. Of course a mixed flock would be a different +proposition, but so far as I know the two species never +mingle, and, at least in this State, it is an unusual thing +to find the Carolina dove in large compact flocks such +as are characteristic of the Passenger Pigeon. In several +cases, however, during August and September I have +seen large scattered flocks of the Carolina dove which +were feeding on weed seeds and grain in open fields, +and which when disturbed, gathered into small bands +of twenty to fifty each and flew and perched very much +like Passenger Pigeons. In one case I saw at least five +hundred Carolina doves acting this way, and had hard +work to convince a sportsman friend of mine that they +were not Passenger Pigeons. Finally, after getting +directly under a small tree on which a dozen or more +were perched, he was able to see that characteristic +black dot on the side of the neck, and was also able to +estimate more correctly the actual size of the birds.</p> + +<p class="center">Yours very truly,</p> +<p class="tdr"><span class="smcap">Walter B. Burrows</span>,<br /> +<i>Professor of Zoology.</i></p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_159" id="Page_159">[159]</a></span></p> + + +<p class="pmt2 tdr2 smcap">Agricultural College,</p> + +<p class="tdr"><span class="smcap">Ingham Co., Mich.</span>, June 17, 1905.</p> + +<p><span class="smcap p0">Mr. W. B. Mershon</span>, Saginaw, Mich.</p> + +<p><span class="smcap">Dear Sir:</span>—Yours of the 16th is at hand and in +reply I would say that the Carolina dove is <i>rarely</i> +found north of the Au Sable River, and I should not +expect <i>ever</i> to see it there in flocks in the spring; on +the other hand it is just as likely to be found <i>early</i> in +the season as the Passenger Pigeon, since the Carolina +dove winters regularly in southern Michigan and is +one of the first birds to appear in the spring in this +county, in fact not infrequently staying <i>here</i> through +the winter. On the whole, however, I think there can +be little doubt that Mr. King's report relates to the Passenger +Pigeon and not to the dove. I have had some +photographs taken of the Carolina dove and Passenger +Pigeon together, and will ask my assistant, Mr. Myers, +to mail you prints of these within a few days as soon as +he has time to make some good ones. If these do not +show what you desire we will try again.</p> + +<p class="center">Yours very truly,</p> + +<p class="tdr"><span class="smcap">Walter B. Burrows</span>,<br /> +<i>Professor of Zoology.</i></p> + +<p class="pmt2">Mr. George E. Atkinson, to whom I am indebted +for much valuable data in this book, writes from +Portage La Prairie, Manitoba, July 21, 1905, as +follows:</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_160" id="Page_160">[160]</a></span></p> + +<p>I was on a holiday trip on the Assiniboia River last +week, and a pair of birds flew by me at a few yards' +distance, flashing the pigeon color to all appearances +in the sun and alighting on the bank. I turned my boat +and until after I shot the bird, I would have sworn it +was a pigeon, but it proved to be a large, bright +plumaged dove. Atmospheric conditions considerably +affected the size so that I am convinced that it is possible +for even the best of us to be deceived, and a scientific +record must not be formed on any supposition.</p> + +<p class="tdr tdr2 smcap">Iron Mountain, Mich.,</p> + +<p class="tdr">May 30, 1904.</p> + +<p class="p0"><span class="smcap">Mr. W. B. Mershon</span>, Saginaw, Mich.</p> + +<p><span class="smcap">Dear Sir</span>:—In reply to your letter of inquiry respecting +the Passenger Pigeon, I will say that my knowledge +of it is very limited except from hearsay, but I am credibly +informed that it nested at the east end of Deerskin +Lake, Sec. 30, N44 W31, as late as 1888. Mr. Armstrong, +a timber cruiser, late a resident of this city, gave +me this information. He said there was a small colony +of less than a hundred birds then. Fire has since destroyed +the timber there and he doubted if they were +still there when he told me about them. Mr. A. was a +keen observer and thoroughly reliable; had been familiar +with the species when abundant in lower Michigan, +and I have great confidence in the accuracy of his reports. +I used to see them as late as 1883 in this +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_161" id="Page_161">[161]</a></span> +vicinity. They were shot in the summer of 1883 during +the blueberry season. I should estimate that as +many as fifty birds were taken that summer. I cannot +imagine why they should have disappeared from this +region. I have no reports concerning the birds from +the north shore.</p> + +<p>In 1897 a young bird was taken in the neighboring +town of Norway with a broken wing and identified by +hunters who had known the species in the day of its +abundance.</p> + +<p>Dr. J. D. Cameron of this city informs me that he +saw a flock of about fifty birds flying over the St. +George Hospital of this place on the 28th of October, +1900. He was positive that he was not mistaken, as +the birds were flying low, and he had formerly been well +acquainted with the species in Canada. You can take +this latter for what it is worth. Dr. C's. veracity is +beyond question, but whether he could have mistaken +some other birds for the pigeons I am not prepared to +say. He is not interested in ornithology and I would not +expect him to recognize ordinary birds, but he may +have hunted the wild pigeon in his younger days +and so be familiar with its manner of flight. I +cannot imagine any other birds that he could mistake +for them.</p> + +<p>I have an idea that I may have seen one myself in the +summer of 1900, but am not sufficiently well acquainted +with it to recognize it at sight. I fired at it with a .22 +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_162" id="Page_162">[162]</a></span> +rifle, and the peculiar maneuvers which it executed in +the air as the bullet passed, attracted my attention. I +was afterward told that the wild pigeon tumbled in the +air that way when fired at. I thought at first that it +was hit.</p> + +<p class="center">Yours truly,</p> + +<p class="tdr"><span class="smcap">E. E. Brewster</span>.</p> + +<hr class="chap" /> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_163" id="Page_163">[163]</a></span></p> + + +<p class="caption2"><a name="CHAPTER_XIII" id="CHAPTER_XIII">CHAPTER XIII</a></p> + +<p class="caption2">What Became of the Wild Pigeon?</p> + +<p class="caption3">By Sullivan Cook, from "Forest and Stream," March 14, 1903.<a name="FNanchor_D_4" id="FNanchor_D_4"></a> +<a href="#Footnote_D_4" class="fnanchor">[D]</a></p> + +<div class="footnote pmb2"> + +<p><a name="Footnote_D_4" id="Footnote_D_4"></a> +<a href="#FNanchor_D_4"><span class="label">[D]</span></a> I think that anyone who reads this article will be, like myself, satisfied +that the destruction of the pigeons was wrought to gratify the avarice and +love of gain of a few men who slaughtered them until they were virtually +exterminated.—W. B. M.</p></div> + +<div class="dropcap">W</div> + +<p class="p0"><span class="hidden">W</span>HEN a boy and living in northern Ohio, I +often had to go with a gun and drive the +pigeons from the newly sown fields of wheat. +At that time wheat was sown broadcast, and pigeons +would come by the thousands and pick up the wheat +before it could be covered with the drag. My father +would say, "Get the gun and shoot at every pigeon you +see," and often I would see them coming from the woods +and alighting on the newly sowed field. They would +alight until the ground was fairly blue with these beautiful +birds.</p> + +<p>I would secrete myself in a fence corner, and as these +birds would alight on the ground they would form themselves +in a long row, canvassing the field for grain, and +as the rear birds raised up and flew over those in front, +they reminded one of the little breakers on the ocean +beach, and as they came along in this form, they resembled +a windrow of hay rolling across the field.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_164" id="Page_164">[164]</a></span></p> + +<p>I would wait until the end of this wave was opposite +my hiding place and then arise and fire into this windrow +of living, animated beauty, and I have picked up as +many as twenty-seven dead birds killed at a single shot +with an old flintlock smooth bore. Later in the fall +these birds would come in countless millions to feed +on the wild mast of beech nuts and acorns, and every +evening they would pass over our home, going west of +our place to what was known as Lodi Swamp.</p> + +<p>Many and many a time have I seen clouds of birds +that extended as far as the eye could reach, and the +sound of their wings was like the roar of a tempest. +And for those who are not acquainted with the habits +and flight of these birds, I wish to say that once in the +month of November, while these pigeons were going +from their feeding grounds to this roost in the Lodi +Swamp, they were met with a storm of sleet and snow. +The wind blew so hard that they could not breast it and +were compelled to alight in a sugar orchard near our +place. This orchard consisted of twenty acres, where +the timber had all been cut out, except the maples, and +when they commenced alighting, the trees already partially +loaded with snow and ice, and the vast flock of +pigeons being attracted by those alighting, all sought the +same resting place.</p> + +<p>Such vast numbers alighted that in a short time the +branches of the trees were broken and as fast as one +tree gave way those birds would alight on the already +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_165" id="Page_165">[165]</a></span> +loaded tree adjoining, and, that, too, was stripped of +its long and limber branches. Suffice it to say that in +a half hour's time this beautiful sugar orchard was +entirely ruined by the loads of birds which had attempted +to rest from the storm.</p> + +<p>About this time I enjoyed my first pigeon hunt in +a roost. Being a boy about sixteen years of age, having +a brother about thirteen, and as we had seen the pigeons +going by to their roost for hours and knowing that +many people went there every night to shoot pigeons +on the roost, my brother and I were seized with a desire +to go and enjoy this exciting sport. Then arose +the difficulty of a gun suitable for the occasion. As +we had nothing but a small-bore rifle and not owning +a shotgun, we appealed to father as to what we should +do for a gun. We had previously gained his consent +to our going. He suggested that we take the old horse +pistol; one of the Revolutionary time, which had been +kept in the family as a reminder of troublesome years.</p> + +<p>Let the young man of to-day, who hunts with the +improved breechloader, think of two boys starting +pigeon hunting, their only outfit consisting of a horse +pistol, barrel twelve inches long, caliber 12-gauge, flintlock, +one pound of No. 4 shot, a quarter of a pound of +powder, a pocket full of old newspaper for wadding, +a two-bushel bag to carry game in, and a tin lantern. +Thus equipped, we started for the pigeon roost a little +after dark. Although three miles from the roost when +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_166" id="Page_166">[166]</a></span> +we started from home, we could hear the sullen roar of +that myriad of birds, and the sound increased in volume +as we approached the roost, till it became as the roar +of the breakers upon the beach.</p> + +<p>As we approached the swamp where the birds roosted, +a few scattered birds were frightened from the roost +along the edge of the swamp. These scattering birds +we could not shoot, but kept advancing further into the +swamp. As we approached this vast body of birds, +which bent the alders flat to the ground, we could see +every now and then ahead of us a small pyramid which +looked like a haystack in the darkness, and as we approached +what appeared to be this haystack, the +frightened birds would fly from the bended alders, and +we would find ourselves standing in the midst of a +diminutive forest of small trees of alders and willows.</p> + +<p>We now found these apparent haystacks were only +small elms or willows completely loaded down with live +birds. My brother suggested that I shoot at the next +"haystack." So we advanced along very carefully +among the now upright alders till we came to where it +was a perfect roar of voices and wings, and just ahead +of us we saw one of those mysterious objects which so +resembled a haystack.</p> + +<p>My brother suggested that I aim at the center of it +and let the old horse pistol go. I instantly obeyed his +suggestion, pointing as best I could in the dim light at +the center of that form, and pulled. There was a flash +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_167" id="Page_167">[167]</a></span> +and a roar, and the very atmosphere seemed to be alive +with flying, chattering birds. The old tin lantern was +lighted. The horse pistol was hunted for, as it had +recoiled with such force I had lost hold of it. The +gun being found, we then approached as nearly as we +could the place where I had shot at the stack. From +this discharge we picked up eighteen pigeons and saw +some hobbling away into thick brush, from which we +could not recover them. After an hour of this kind +of hunting our bag was full of pigeons, and our tallow +candle in the lantern nearly consumed. We retraced +our steps out of the swamp, and about 11 o'clock at +night arrived home well satisfied with the night's hunt +in the pigeon roost. We had had acres of enjoyment +and had brought home bushels of pigeons.</p> + +<p>This is only to give an idea of what pigeons were in +northern Ohio in the days of my boyhood. This was in +the years of 1844 to 1846. In 1854, having grown to +man's estate, I moved to Michigan and settled in Cass +County, where I built a log house and began clearing +up a farm. After having cleared three or four fields +around my house, one morning one of my girls came +running in from out of doors and said: "Pa, come +out and see the pigeons."</p> + +<p>I went to the door and saw scooting across my fields, +as it seemed skimming the surface of the earth, flock +after flock of the birds, one coming close upon the heels +of another. I hastened into the house and grasped my +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_168" id="Page_168">[168]</a></span> +double barreled shotgun, powder flask and shot pouch; +my little girl, then a miss of twelve summers, following +me. I took a stand on a slight rise in the middle of a +five-acre field and commenced shooting, you might say, +at wads of pigeons, so closely huddled were they as they +went by. Letting the birds get opposite me and firing +across the flock, I was enabled to kill from three to +fifteen pigeons at a shot. And my girl was wildly +excited, picking up the dead birds and catching the +winged ones and bringing them to me.</p> + +<p>You never saw two mortals more busy than we were +for a half hour. At this time my wife called for breakfast, +as we were near the house, and I found my stock +of ammunition nearly exhausted. We went into the +house for our breakfast and when we came out the birds +were flying as thickly as ever. She says, let us count +the pigeons and see how many we have. We found we +had killed and picked up in this short time twenty-three +dozen. My wife said I had better take them to Three +Rivers, which was our nearest town, and sell them. +And as my ammunition was about exhausted, I hitched +up my team, took twenty dozen of the birds and drove +ten miles to the station, sold my birds for sixty-five +cents a dozen and returned home well satisfied with my +day's work, and having on hand a good supply of ammunition +for the next morning's flight.</p> + +<p>Now I wish to pass along, the lapse of time being +about sixteen years. During this time I had removed +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_169" id="Page_169">[169]</a></span> +from Cass County to Van Buren County, where I had +located in the beautiful village of Hartford. In the +year 1869 or 1870, the pigeoners, a class of men who +lived in Hartford, made a business of netting pigeons, +and they are living here yet, and not one of them +feels any pride in the part he took in the destruction +of these beautiful birds. In March, 1869, word was +received that a large flight of pigeons were coming +north through the State of Indiana. These men, who +had followed the pigeons for years, said, "As we have +snow on the ground they will be sure to nest near +here, and as we have had a big crop of beech nuts and +acorns last fall they will be sure to stop to get the +benefit of this mast." A queer thing about the pigeon +was that he always built his nest on the borders of the +snow, that is, where the ground underneath was covered +with snow.</p> + +<p>Sure enough, as predicted, in two days after receiving +notice of the flight of the birds from Indiana, +myriads of pigeons were passing north along the east +shore of Lake Michigan, and soon scattering flocks were +seen going south towards the bare ground. In a few +days word was received that pigeons had gone to nesting +in what was then called Deerfield Township, a vast +body of hardwood and hemlock timber. Then it was +that the pigeon killers, with their nets, stool birds and +flyers commenced making preparations for the slaughter +of the beautiful birds when they began laying +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_170" id="Page_170">[170]</a></span> +their eggs. This takes place only three or four days +after they commence nesting, as a pigeon's nest is the +simplest nest ever built by a bird seen in a tree. It consists +of a few little twigs laid crosswise, without moss +or lining of any kind, and the lay of eggs is but one. +As soon as one egg is laid, they commence sitting, and +the male pigeon is quite a gentleman in his way, taking +his turn and sitting one-half of the time.</p> + +<p>In about twelve or fourteen days—some claim twenty—the +young pigeon is hatched. As soon as hatched +the male and female birds commence feeding on what +is known as marsh feed, that is, on low, springy ground. +And from this feed is supplied to both the male and +female bird what is known as pigeon's milk, forming +inside of the crop a sort of curd, on which the young +pigeon is fed by both father and mother, who supply +this food. The young bird is gorged with this food, +and in a few days becomes as heavy as the parent +bird. Another singular thing about the wild pigeon +is that as the snow melts and the ground is left bare +where the nesting is, the old birds never eat the nuts +in the nesting, but leave them for the benefit of the +young one, and so when he comes off the nest he always +finds an abundance of food at his very door, as +it were. As soon as the young birds are able to leave +the nest and begin feeding on the ground in the +nesting, the old birds immediately forsake them, move +again on to the borders of the snow and start another +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_171" id="Page_171">[171]</a></span> +nesting. In five or ten days the young birds will follow +in the direction of the old birds.</p> + +<p>When the young birds first come off the nest and +commence feeding on the ground, they are fat as +balls of butter, but in ten days from this time, when +they start on their northern flight to follow their +mother bird, they are poor as snakes, and almost unfit +to eat, while, when they first leave the nest they are +the most palatable morsel man ever tasted. However, +in about forty days from the time they began nesting to +the time they took their northern flight, there were +shipped from Hartford and vicinity, three carloads a +day of these beautiful meteors of the sky. Each car +containing 150 barrels with 35 dozen in a barrel, making +the daily shipment 24,750 dozen.</p> + +<p>Young men who are now hunting for something to +shoot and wondering what has become of our game, +must hear with anger and regret such reports as this +from western Michigan in the days gone by: "In three +years' time there were caught and shipped to New York +and other eastern cities 990,000 dozen pigeons, and in +the two succeeding years it was estimated by the same +men who caught the pigeons at Hartford that there +were one-third more shipped from Shelby than from +Hartford; and from Petoskey, Emmett County, two +years later, it is now claimed by C. H. Engle, a resident +of this town, who was a participant in this ungodly +slaughter, that there were shipped five carloads a day +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_172" id="Page_172">[172]</a></span> +for thirty days, with an average of 8,250 dozen to the +carload. Now, when one asks you what has become of +the wild pigeons, refer them to C. H. Engle, Stephen +Stowe, Chas. Sherburne, and Hiram Corwin, and a man +by the name of Miles from Wisconsin, Mr. Miles having +caught 500 dozen in a single day. And when you +are asked what has become of the wild pigeons, figure +up the shipping bills, and they will show what has +become of this, the grandest game bird that ever cleft +the air of any continent."</p> + +<p>My young friends, I want to humbly ask your forgiveness +for having taken a small part in the destruction +of this, the most exciting of sport. And there is +not one of us but is ashamed of the slaughter which has +robbed you of enjoyment. If we had been restrained +by laws of humanity, you, too, could have enjoyed this +sport for years to come.</p> + +<hr class="chap" /> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_173" id="Page_173">[173]</a></span></p> + + +<p class="caption2"><a name="CHAPTER_XIV" id="CHAPTER_XIV">CHAPTER XIV</a></p> + +<p class="caption2">A Novel Theory of Extinction</p> + +<p class="caption3 pmb2">By C. H. Ames and Robert Ridgway</p> + + +<p class="tdr"><span class="smcap">Boston</span>, March 8, 1906.</p> + +<p class="p0"><span class="smcap">Mr. W. B. Mershon</span>:</p> + +<p><span class="smcap">Dear Sir</span>:—Thank you for your note of the third +in reply to mine of the first, in regard to your book on +the Passenger Pigeon. I note that you say:</p> + +<p class="smaller">"There is room to make additions if you think you have something +that would be interesting, and would like to submit it to me for my +consideration."</p> + +<p>Thanking you for your courtesy in the matter, I beg +to say that I have long had great interest in the problem +of the so sudden and complete destruction of this +great species, and have from the first been quite unable +to believe that the ordinarily assigned agencies for the +destruction of the pigeon were adequate, or anywhere +near adequate, to make a destruction so sudden and +complete.</p> + +<p>Several accounts which have come to my notice have +strengthened my view. I know well that the attack of +man and beast upon the pigeons in their rookeries, or +breeding places, was fierce, persistent and enormously +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_174" id="Page_174">[174]</a></span> +destructive, and that at these breeding places the destroyers +gathered in great numbers, but, with my vivid +recollection of the tremendous flights of pigeons which +I myself saw in the '60's in northern Illinois, the wide +distribution of the bird, and what I know of its migratory +habits (I wish I knew very much more about these +habits), I cannot think that in so few years the practical +destruction of the species could be effected by the means +referred to.</p> + +<p>Years ago—I cannot tell how many, but I am confident +it must have been at about the time of the disappearance +of the great pigeon flights—I read an account, +either in or quoted from a New Orleans newspaper, giving +the stories of several ship captains and sailors who +had arrived in New Orleans from the Gulf of Mexico. +They stated that they had, in crossing the Gulf, sailed +over leagues and leagues of water covered, and covered +thickly, with dead pigeons. The supposition was that +an enormous flight of the pigeons crossing the waters +of the Gulf had been overwhelmed by a cyclone, or +some such atmospheric disturbance, and that the birds +had been whirled into the surf and drowned.</p> + +<p>I have been told by competent ornithologists connected +with the Boston Society of Natural History that +Pigeon Cove, a well-known and much frequented extremity +of Cape Ann, near Gloucester, Mass., received +its name from the fact that a large flight of pigeons was +similarly overwhelmed in flying along the Atlantic near +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_175" id="Page_175">[175]</a></span> +that place, and that their bodies covered the shore in +"windrows."</p> + +<p>Not more than two years ago, if so long, I read a +lengthy and signed account in a Montreal paper of a similar +catastrophe to a great flight of pigeons in attempting +to cross Lake Michigan, and similar statement was +made that for miles the beach above Milwaukee was +heaped and piled with "windrows" of dead pigeons.</p> + +<p>Within two or three years several accounts have +reached us, bearing every mark of believability, that +considerable flights of geese, swans and ducks have +been drowned in the surf off the New Jersey and Maryland +shores. These flights of birds have been overwhelmed +in a sudden storm or gale of wind, which beat +them down into the surf where they were drowned, their +bodies drifting about, and some of them being thrown +up on the shore.</p> + +<p>These accounts have come from fishermen, sportsmen +and others, and I see no reason whatever to doubt +that a flight of birds of any species known could easily +be destroyed if caught off shore in some of the wind +storms of which we have so many instances. I have +frequently in <i>Forest and Stream</i> propounded my +theory and asked for information about it before it +became too late. The whole theory stands or falls, as +it seems to me, with the ascertainment of the southern +limit of the migration of the great pigeon flight. If +the birds did not cross the Gulf of Mexico there is far +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_176" id="Page_176">[176]</a></span> +less likelihood of my theory being the correct one, +though my inquiries in <i>Forest and Stream</i> elicited +one very circumstantial account of an enormous destruction +of pigeons on the Gulf Coast, the birds being +blown into the Gulf and destroyed by a fierce "norther" +which beat down the coast for two or three days. Persons +familiar with this phenomena of the Texas +"norther" need no help to their imaginations in seeing +how a pigeon flight, being caught on the shores of the +Gulf by such a wind could be practically destroyed.</p> + +<p>I do not know that you will think my theory worth +any consideration, but I have finally interested a number +of ornithologists who share my view that the final and +sudden wiping out of the great bulk of the pigeon flight +must have been by some cataclysmic agency. It seems +to me that the question is one of great interest from +the point of view of the naturalist and biologist, and +well worth serious investigation by all who care for +these things. I shall be pleased to know if what I have +said seems to you of interest and to have any weight.</p> + +<p>Wishing you all success in your admirable undertaking, +and anticipating with great pleasure the results +of your studies in your proposed book, I am,</p> + +<p class="center">Yours very truly,</p> + +<p class="tdr pmb2"><span class="smcap">C. H. Ames.</span></p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_177" id="Page_177">[177]</a></span></p> + +<p class="hanging"><i>Memorandum prepared by Mr. Robert Ridgway, Curator +of the Division of Birds, U. S. National Museum, +to accompany letter to Mr. W. B. Mershon, Saginaw, +Mich.</i></p> + +<p>If Mr. Mershon will communicate on the subject of +Passenger Pigeons with Mr. William Brewster,<a name="FNanchor_E_5" id="FNanchor_E_5"></a> +<a href="#Footnote_E_5" class="fnanchor">[E]</a> 145 +Brattle Street, Cambridge, Mass., he may get some +data which will (or ought to) dismiss from consideration +the idea that the passenger pigeon could have been +exterminated in the manner suggested by Mr. Ames. +During a visit to northern Michigan, Mr. Brewster +talked with a great many pigeon netters. I have forgotten +the figures, and may be very inexact in my recollection +of them, but my recollection is that at one +"roost" there were one hundred netters who averaged +one thousand (it may have been ten thousand) pigeons +per day. When it is considered that this was the rate +of destruction at one locality in one State only, that +the same was going on in other States, and that tens of +thousands were being killed by hunters and others, and +this year after year, I cannot see anything surprising in +the eventual extermination of the species, no matter +how numerously represented originally.</p> + +<div class="footnote"> + +<p><a name="Footnote_E_5" id="Footnote_E_5"></a> +<a href="#FNanchor_E_5"><span class="label">[E]</span></a> See +Chapter VII, "Netting the Pigeon" by Wm. Brewster.</p></div> + +<p>Nothing in the history of the Passenger Pigeon is +more certainly known than the fact that its range to +the southward <i>did not extend beyond the United States</i>. +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_178" id="Page_178">[178]</a></span> +There is a single Cuban record, but the occurrence was +purely accidental. The migrations of the Passenger +Pigeon were wholly different in their character from +those of true emigrants, that is to say, they were influenced +or controlled purely by the matter of food +supply, as in the case of the robin and some other birds, +and the flights were as often from west to east and +<i>vice versa</i> as from south to north or north to south; in +short, the flocks moved about in various directions in +their search for food or nesting places. For myself, +I do not believe in the story of drowning in the Gulf +of Mexico for two reasons. In the first place the birds +are extremely unlikely to have been there, a hurricane +from the <i>northward</i> being absolutely necessary to explain +their presence in that quarter, and, in the second +place, no such explanation is needed in view of what is +known to be the facts concerning their wholesale destruction +by human agency alone.</p> + +<p>The range of the Passenger Pigeon was limited to +the mixed hardwood forest region of the eastern +United States and Canada, and any that occurred beyond +were stragglers, pure and simple. Consequently +it was not found, except as stragglers, in the long-leaf +pine belt of the Gulf Coast, but only on the uplands +from northern or middle Alabama, Mississippi, and +Louisiana, northward.</p> + +<hr class="chap" /> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_179" id="Page_179">[179]</a></span></p> + + +<p class="caption2"><a name="CHAPTER_XV" id="CHAPTER_XV">CHAPTER XV</a></p> + +<p class="caption2 pmb2">News from John Burroughs</p> + +<div class="dropcap">W</div> + +<p class="p0"><span class="hidden">W</span>HEN the following report from so high an +authority as John Burroughs appeared in +<i>Forest and Stream</i> it seemed too important +to be overlooked. I therefore ventured to open a +correspondence with this famous naturalist, even suggesting +that his informants might have mistaken some +other species of migratory bird for a flight of wild +pigeons. I had once made a similar mistake in Texas +when the northern migration of the curlews was in full +flight. Countless flocks of them were streaming past at +a considerable distance from me, and I could have sworn +they were wild pigeons until I was lucky enough to see +them at much closer range. Even now the newspapers +east and west contain an annual crop of wild pigeon +reports, most of which are to be found fake reports +upon careful investigation. It has happened often that +hunters and woodsmen mistake the wild dove for the +pigeon, and refuse to believe otherwise. The correspondence +explains itself, however, and is a valuable +contribution to the subject in hand.</p> + +<p class="tdr">W. B. M.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_180" id="Page_180">[180]</a></span></p> + +<p class="caption3">A FLOCK OF WILD PIGEONS<a name="FNanchor_F_6" id="FNanchor_F_6"></a> +<a href="#Footnote_F_6" class="fnanchor">[F]</a></p> + +<div class="footnt_cntr"> +<a name="Footnote_F_6" id="Footnote_F_6"></a> +<a href="#FNanchor_F_6" class="label"><span>[F]</span></a> From +<i>Forest and Stream</i>, May 19, 1906. +</div> + +<p class="tdr"><span class="smcap">West Park, N. Y.</span>, May 11th.</p> + +<p class="p0"><span class="smcap">Editor</span> <i>Forest and Stream</i>:</p> + +<p>I have received evidence which is to me entirely convincing +that a large flock of Passenger Pigeons was seen +to pass over the village of Prattsville, Greene County, +this State, late one afternoon about the middle of April. +The fact was first reported in the local paper, the Prattsville +<i>News</i>. An old boyhood schoolmate of mine, +Charles W. Benton, was, with others, reported to have +seen them. I have corresponded with Mr. Benton and +have no doubt the pigeons were seen as stated. Mr. +Benton saw pigeons, clouds of them, in his boyhood, +and could not well be mistaken. He says it was about +5 o'clock, and that the flock stretched out across the +valley about one-half mile and must have contained +many hundreds. It came from the southeast, and went +northwest. Mr. Benton says that a large flock was reported +last year as having passed over the village of +Catskill, and that a wild pigeon was shot near Prattsville +last fall. A friend of mine saw two pigeons in the +woods at West Point a year or so ago.</p> + +<p>I have no doubt, therefore, that the wild pigeon is +still with us, and that if protected we may yet see them +in something like their numbers of thirty years ago.</p> + +<p class="tdr smcap">John Burroughs.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_181" id="Page_181">[181]</a></span></p> + + +<p class="pmt2 tdr"><span class="smcap">West Park</span>, N. Y., May 27, 1906.</p> + +<p class="smcap p0">To W. B. Mershon:</p> + +<p><span class="smcap">Dear Sir</span>:—I can give you no more definite information +about that flock of pigeons than I reported to +<i>Forest and Stream</i>. I have no doubt about the fact. +If you will write to C. W. Benton, Prattsville, N. Y., +he can put you in communication with several people +who saw the flock.</p> + +<p>I am just about to write to <i>Forest and Stream</i> of +another very large flock of pigeons that was seen to pass +over the city of Kingston, N. Y., on the morning of the +15th. I have written to Judge A. T. Clearwater of +that city, who replies that he has talked with many persons +who saw the pigeons and who had seen the pigeons +years ago. The flock is described as a mile long. I +am going up to Kingston soon to question the persons +who saw the flock. If I learn anything to discredit the +story I will let you know. We never have a flight of +any birds here that could be mistaken for pigeons by +any one who had ever seen the latter. If these flocks +were pigeons, where have they been hiding all these +years?</p> + +<p class="center">Very sincerely yours,</p> + +<p class="tdr smcap">John Burroughs.</p> + +<p class="pmt2 tdr"><span class="smcap">Prattsville</span>, N. Y., June 9, 1906.</p> + +<p class="p0"><span class="smcap">W. B. Mershon</span>, Saginaw, Mich.:</p> + +<p><span class="smcap">Dear Sir</span>:—Yours of the 6th inst. is before me and +I hasten to reply. Now, in the first place, you speak +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_182" id="Page_182">[182]</a></span> +of John Burroughs. Mr. Burroughs and I went to +school together when we were boys, and, as you say, he +is a good authority on natural history, and I have had +some communication with him on the pigeon question. +I live in the heart of the Catskill Mountains, which was +once a great resort for wild pigeons, and I have seen a +vast number of them, dating back as far as 1848, when +this country was literally covered with them, and for +some years after. Now in regard to the wild pigeons +I saw this spring. I was going to my home in the village +of Prattsville, in company with a man by the name +of M. E. Kreiger, one Sunday afternoon, and when +near my house we stopped to talk a few minutes, when, +on looking up, we saw the flock of pigeons. They were +coming from the southeast and went to the northwest. +The flock was about one-half mile long and flew in the +same manner as pigeons of old. There were thousands +of them. Now in regard to ducks, teal and plover, we +never see any of them here in the mountains, though +once in a while a few ducks, but only in small flocks of +seven or eight in a bunch; and there are no birds that +gather in flocks here but crows in the fall, but never at +any other time. Wild geese fly over here in the fall.</p> + +<p>The <i>Daily Leader</i>, a daily paper published in Kingston, +Ulster County, N. Y., contained an item a few +weeks since stating that a flock of wild pigeons passed +over the city a short time ago. The flock was about +one mile long and contained many thousands. And in +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_183" id="Page_183">[183]</a></span> +the spring of 1905, the <i>Catskill Recorder</i>, a newspaper +published in this county, reported seeing a flock similar +to the one seen at Kingston.</p> + +<p>Wishing you success on your fishing trip, I am,</p> + +<p class="center">Yours truly,</p> + +<p class="smcap tdr">C. W. Benton.</p> + + +<p class="caption3">THE SULLIVAN COUNTY PIGEONS</p> + +<p class="tdr"><span class="smcap">West Park</span>, N. Y., June 30th.</p> + +<p class="p0"><span class="smcap">Editor</span> <i>Forest and Stream</i>:</p> + +<p>Since I wrote you a few weeks ago, I have been looking +up the men who were reported to have seen wild +pigeons recently. I have seen six men who are positive +they have seen flocks of wild pigeons—some of them +two years ago, and some of them this past spring. As +these men were all past middle age and had been +familiar with the pigeon thirty and forty years ago and +were, moreover, men reported truthful and sober by +their neighbors, and who impressed me as being entirely +reliable, I feel bound to credit their several statements. +At De Bruce, Sullivan County, Mr. Cooper, +the postmaster and village blacksmith, said he had seen +a large flock of pigeons in the fall two years ago. They +were about a buckwheat field. He pointed out the hill +about which they were flying. Mr. Cooper had shot +and trapped a great many pigeons years ago, and was +sure he could not mistake any other bird for a pigeon. +A farmer, whose name I do not now remember and +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_184" id="Page_184">[184]</a></span> +who heard Mr. Cooper's statement, said he saw a large +flock last fall about a buckwheat field, in the same town. +This man was reported to me as perfectly reliable, and +he gave me that impression.</p> + +<p>At Port Ewen, I met a Hudson River shad fisherman, +Mr. Van Vliet, who said he had seen early one +morning in April or May, two years ago, a flock of wild +pigeons over the Hudson. He estimated the flock as +containing seventy or eighty birds. Mr. Van Vliet is +a man nearly seventy years old, and one cannot look +into his face and have him speak and doubt for a moment +the truth of what he is saying. When I asked +him if he knew the wild pigeon, he smiled good-humoredly +and said he knew them as well as he knew +anything; he had lived in the time of pigeons, and had +killed hundreds of them.</p> + +<p>Another man, one of the leading grocerymen of Port +Ewen, said he had seen a very large flock of pigeons +between 4 and 5 o'clock on May 15 last, flying over +as he was on his way to open his store. His hired man, +who was with him, also saw them. Mr. Van Leuven +had also seen pigeons in his youth and described to me +accurately their manner of flight and the form of the +flock against the sky. A neighbor of his told me he +had seen a flock of fifteen or twenty pigeons on a foggy +morning only a few days before. The rush of their +wings overhead first attracted his attention to them. +But he had never seen wild pigeons, and might have +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_185" id="Page_185">[185]</a></span> +been deceived, though he was sure they were pigeons +by their speed and general look.</p> + +<p>None of these men could have had any motive in +trying to deceive me, and I feel bound to credit their +stories. Their statements, taken in connection with the +statement of my old schoolfellow at Prattsville, N. Y., +of whom I wrote you, makes me believe that there is a +large flock of wild pigeons that still at times frequents +this part of the State, and perhaps breeds somewhere +in the wilds of Sullivan or Ulster County. But they +ought to be heard from elsewhere—from the south or +southwest in winter.</p> + +<p class="tdr"><span class="smcap">John Burroughs.</span></p> + +<p>P. S.—Just as I finished the above, I came upon the +following in the Poughkeepsie <i>Sunday Courier</i>:</p> + +<p>"We noticed recently an item asking whether wild +pigeons are returning. Sullivan County people seem +to be taking the lead in answering the question, but a +Dutchess County farmer named David Rosell, living +near Fishkill Plains, who was familiar with the aforesaid +birds in old days, reports having seen a flock of +about thirty feeding on his buckwheat patch one morning +last week, which gives evidence that the birds are +not extinct as supposed, but a flock may merely be +taking a tour around the world like Magellan of old. +Mr. Rosell stated that he had not seen any before in +about forty years. At first sight, he could hardly believe +his eyes, but he was not long in becoming convinced +of their identity."</p> + +<hr class="chap" /> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_186" id="Page_186">[186]</a></span></p> + + +<p class="caption2"><a name="CHAPTER_XVI" id="CHAPTER_XVI">CHAPTER XVI</a></p> + +<p class="caption2">The Pigeon in Manitoba<a name="FNanchor_G_7" id="FNanchor_G_7"></a> +<a href="#Footnote_G_7" class="fnanchor">[G]</a></p> + +<p class="caption3">By George E. Atkinson</p> + +<div class="footnote pmb2"> + +<p><a name="Footnote_G_7" id="Footnote_G_7"></a> +<a href="#FNanchor_G_7"><span class="label">[G]</span></a> This +paper was read at a meeting of the Manitoba Historical and +Scientific Society at Winnepeg in 1905, by the author, a naturalist, residing +at Portage la Prairie.</p></div> + +<div class="dropcap">W</div> + +<p class="p0"><span class="hidden">W</span>HILE the biological history of any country +records the decrease and disappearance of +many forms of life due to just or unjust circumstances, +it remains for the historical records of +North America to reveal a career of human selfishness +which may be considered the paragon. Within four +centuries of North American civilization (or modified +barbarism) we can be credited with the wiping into the +past of at least three species of animal life originally +so phenomenally abundant and so strikingly characteristic +in themselves as to evoke the wonder and amazement +of the entire world. And, sad to relate, so effectual +has been the extermination, that it is doubtful if +our descendants a few generations hence will be able to +learn anything whatever about them save through the +medium of books. While herein again we shall be just +subjects of their censure for having manifestly failed +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_187" id="Page_187">[187]</a></span> +to preserve in history's archives any material amount of +specific information.</p> + +<p>The early settlers landing upon the Atlantic coast +between Newfoundland and the Carolinas found them +in possession of armies of great auks, and the few scraps +of authenticated history which we now possess disclose +a most iniquitous course of wanton slaughter and destruction +which ended in the complete extinction of the +bird over sixty years ago. Yet in the face of this destruction +there remain but four mounted specimens and +two eggs in the collections of North America to-day, +while but seventy skins remain in the collections of the +entire world.</p> + +<p>If possible, more ruthless and inhuman was the carnage +waged against the noble buffalo, the countless +thousands of which roaming over virgin prairies excited +the wonder and amazement of the entire sporting +and scientific world, and which, to-day, are represented +only in the zoölogical parks, where all individuality +will eventually be lost in domestication.</p> + +<p>Coincident almost with the passing of the buffalo +we have to record the decline and fall of the Passenger +Pigeon, a bird which aroused the excitement and wonder +of the entire world during the first half of the last +century because of its phenomenal numbers; a bird also +which stood out unique in character and individuality +among the 300 described pigeons of the world and +which won the admiration of every ornithologist who +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_188" id="Page_188">[188]</a></span> +was fortunate enough to have experience with it living +or dead. Yet it was not exempt from the oppression +of its human foe, who has been instrumental, through +interference with the breeding and feeding grounds and +through a continued persecution and ruthless slaughter +for the market, in reducing the species almost beyond +the hope of salvation.</p> + +<p>The Passenger Pigeon, the species under observation, +was first described under the genus <i>Columba</i>, or type +pigeons, but subsequently Swainson separated it from +these and placed it under the genus <i>Ectopistes</i> because +of the greater length of wing and tail.</p> + +<p>Generically named <i>Ectopistes</i>, meaning moving about +or wandering, and specifically named <i>Migratoria</i>, meaning +migratory, we have a technical name implying not +only a species of migrating annually to and from their +breeding ground, but one given to moving about from +season to season, selecting the most congenial environment +for both breeding and feeding.</p> + +<p>. . . With all the knowledge we have possessed of +the inestimable multitudes which existed during the +early part of the last century, and with their decline, +begun and noted generally in the later sixties and early +seventies, we still find that no steps whatever were taken +to prevent their possible depletion, and few records of +any value are made of the continuance or speed of this +decrease; and not until the last decade of the century +do we awake to the fact that the pigeons are gone beyond +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_189" id="Page_189">[189]</a></span> +the possibility of a return in any numbers. When +a few years later reports are made that pigeons still +exist and are again increasing, scientific investigation +shows that the mourning dove has been mistaken for +the pigeon or that the band-tailed pigeon of California +is taken for the old Passenger Pigeon, and so we have +continued since the early nineties investigating rumors +of their appearance from all over America, north and +south, and the West India Islands, but all reports point +us to the past for the pigeon and some other species +under suspicion. . . . I doubt very much if the +historian desirous of compiling any historical work +would find himself confronted with such a decided blank +in historical records during an important period as that +confronted in the compilation of a historical record of +the Passenger Pigeon within any district which it formerly +frequented during the period from about 1870, +when the decline was first noticed, to 1890, when the +birds had practically passed away. . . .</p> + +<p>In this matter, Mr. J. H. Fleming of Toronto, in +writing me, says: "The pigeons seem to have gone off +like dynamite. Nobody expected it and nobody prepared +a series of skins"; and to this I can add that no +one seems to have made any series of records of the +birds from year to year. Since their disappearance, +however, things have changed: everybody is alert for +pigeons, and everybody has a theory; but beyond offering +subject of social conversation, or awakening a recital +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_190" id="Page_190">[190]</a></span> +of old pigeon experiences from the old timers, +these rumors and theories seem to return to the winds +from whence they came.</p> + +<p>The latest theory advanced to me by a correspondent +is the possibility of some disturbance of the elements in +the shape of a cyclone, or a storm striking a migrating +host in crossing the Gulf of Mexico and destroying them +almost completely. This is a plausible theory, but I am +unable to conceive how such immense hosts of pigeons +as are recorded up to 1865 could possibly have met +with sudden disaster in this manner, even in the center +of the Gulf, without leaving some wreckage to tell the +story, and such is not recorded. While again I do not +think that the entire host would cross the Gulf, but that +a large portion of the migrating birds would take an +overland route through Mexico and Central America +to the southern boundary of their flight. Personally I +am inclined to cherish my original contentions that the +continued disturbance of the breeding and feeding +grounds, both by the slaughter of the birds for market +and by the dissipating of the original immense colonies +by the clearing of the hardwood and pine forests of the +United States and eastern Canada, compelling these +sections of the main column to travel farther in search +of congenial environment, curtailing the breeding season, +and, I have no doubt, frequently preventing many +from breeding for several seasons.</p> + +<p>While the persistent persecution and destruction for +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_191" id="Page_191">[191]</a></span> +the market was in no way proportionately lessened in +the vicinity of these smaller colonies as long as a sufficient +number of the birds remained to make the traffic +profitable, it can at once be seen that this continued drain +upon these smaller colonies, when other conditions were +becoming more difficult for the birds to contend with, +would be instrumental in depleting the entire former +main column to a point when netting and shooting were +no longer profitable; and, the remnant of these colonies +having to run a gantlet of persecution over their entire +course of migration to and from winter quarters, +there could be but one result to such proceeding, and +that one we now face; extermination.</p> + +<p>Of these records made during the pigeons' day, as +we might call it, the earliest we have are those made +by a Mr. T. Hutchins, who was a Hudson's Bay Company +trader, operating for some twenty-five years in +the district adjacent to Hudson's Bay, during which +time he made copious notes of the birds frequenting +that district, which were afterwards published by +Pennant in his "Arctic Zoölogy" in 1875. He says in +part:</p> + +<p>"The first pigeon I shall take note of is one I received +at Severn in 1771; and, having sent it home to +Mr. Pennant, he informed me that it was the <i>migratoria</i> +species. They are very numerous inland and visit our +settlement in the summer. They are plentiful about +Moose Factory and inland, where they breed, choosing +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_192" id="Page_192">[192]</a></span> +an arboreous situation. The gentlemen number them +among the many delicacies the Hudson's Bay affords +our tables. It is a hardy bird, continuing with us until +December. In summer their food is berries, but after +these are covered with snow, they feed upon the juniper +buds. They lay two eggs and are gregarious. About +1756 these birds migrated as far north as York Factory, +but remained only two days."</p> + +<p>In a report issued in 1795, Samuel Hearne also reports +the birds being abundant inland from the southern +portion of Hudson's Bay, but states that, though good +eating, they were seldom fat.</p> + +<p>The first provincial record is that made by Sir John +Richardson in 1827, in which he says: "A few hordes +of Indians who frequent the low floods districts at the +south end of Lake Winnipeg subsist principally on the +pigeons during the period when the sturgeon fishing is +unproductive and the wild rice is still unripened, but +farther north the birds are too few in numbers to furnish +material diet."</p> + +<p>I presume that he means farther up the Lake Winnipeg +shores, since Hutchins and Hearne both reported +them common nearer Hudson's Bay.</p> + +<p>The early records of the birds in eastern Canada in +later years corroborate the earlier statements of Wilson +and Audubon in almost every particular; and one acquainted +with the timbered conditions of the country +to the immediate west of the Red River Valley and +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_193" id="Page_193">[193]</a></span> +north of the American boundary line can readily appreciate +the utter inadequacy of an acceptable food supply +for these countless millions of pigeons; and we can also +readily understand how very soon the breaking up of +the original hardwood forests of eastern Canada would +tend to decrease the visible food supply and cause these +hungry millions to seek new pastures.</p> + +<p>The breaking of these feeding grounds would first +be instrumental in scattering or breaking up the largest +flocks, and even the very long distances the bird was +able to fly from breeding to feeding ground would be +exceeded, necessitating next the nesting in smaller colonies, +where careless nesting habits with continued changing +conditions would tend to continue to decline their +numbers, while the tenacity with which even the smaller +roosts were clung to by man, like leeches to a frog, and +the hapless victim shot, netted and stolen from the nest +before maturity, was but another effectual and not the +least responsible agent in the relegation of the pigeon +to that past from which none return.</p> + +<p>When I decided to attempt the preparation of a review +history of the pigeon in Manitoba, I felt that, +having had practically no experience with the bird myself, +I should have to depend upon the reports of representative +pioneers of the country for my facts as to the +numbers of the birds formerly found here, and the +period of their decline and disappearance. I accordingly +drafted a series of questions which I submitted to +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_194" id="Page_194">[194]</a></span> +these gentlemen, and I have to tender them all my sincere +thanks, as well as that of the scientific world, for +the ready responses and the conciseness of the information +received.</p> + +<p>One of the earliest residents of Portage la Prairie, +Mr. George A. Garrioch, informs me:</p> + +<p>"I was born in Manitoba and came to Portage la +Prairie about 1853. I was then only about six years +old, and as far back as I can remember pigeons were +very numerous.</p> + +<p>"They passed over every spring, usually during the +mornings, in very large flocks, following each other in +rapid succession.</p> + +<p>"I do not think they bred in any numbers in the +province, as I only remember seeing one nest; this contained +two eggs.</p> + +<p>"The birds, to my recollection, were most numerous +in the fifties, and the decline was noticed in the later +sixties and continued until the early eighties, when they +disappeared. I have observed none since until last year, +when I am positive I saw a single male bird south of the +town of Portage la Prairie."</p> + +<p>Mr. Angus Sutherland of Winnipeg, in reply to my +interrogation, states:</p> + +<p>"I was born in the present city of Winnipeg and have +lived here over fifty years. The wild pigeons were very +numerous in my boyhood. They frequented the mixed +woods about the city, and while undoubtedly many birds +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_195" id="Page_195">[195]</a></span> +bred here, I remember no extensive breeding colonies +in the province, and believe the great majority passed +farther north to breed. About 1870 the decrease in +their numbers was most pronouncedly manifest, this decline +continuing until the early eighties, when they had +apparently all disappeared, and I have seen only occasional +birds since, and none of late years."</p> + +<p>Mr. W. J. McLean, formerly of the Hudson's Bay +Company and at present a resident of Winnipeg, sends +me some valuable information, which supports my contention +regarding the influence of food supply. He +writes:</p> + +<p>"I came to the Red River Settlement in 1860 and +found the pigeons very plentiful on my arrival. The +birds came in many thousands, and great numbers of +them bred in the northeastern portion of the province +through the district north of the Lake of the Woods +and Rainy Lake, where the cranberry and blueberry +are abundant. These fruits constitute their chief food +supply, as they remain on the bushes and retain much +of their food properties until well on into the summer +following their growth. They also feed largely on +acorns wherever they abound. The decline began about +the early seventies, and 1877 was the first year in which +I encountered large flocks of them passing northwesterly +from White Sand River near Fort Pelly. This was on +a dull, drizzling day about the middle of May, and I +presume they were then heading towards the Barren +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_196" id="Page_196">[196]</a></span> +Grounds district, where the blueberry and the cranberry +are very abundant."</p> + +<p>Mr. E. H. G. G. Hay, formerly police magistrate of +Portage la Prairie, now of St. Andrews, reports:</p> + +<p>"I came to the country in June, 1861, and found that +the pigeons were abundant previous to my arrival. To +give you an idea of their numbers, a Mr. Thompson of +St. Andrews some mornings caught with a net about +ten feet square as many as eighty dozen, and in the +spring of 1864 I fired into a flock as they rose from +the ground and picked up seventeen birds.</p> + +<p>"The birds were mostly migratory in what is now +known as Manitoba, and most of them went farther +north after the seeding season. I never heard of any +extensive rookeries such as those observed in the east +and south. The few that bred here frequented mixed +poplar and spruce. They seemed most numerous in the +sixties and began to show signs of decreasing about +1869 or 1870, and by 1875 they had all disappeared +and I have only seen an occasional bird since."</p> + +<p>Mr. William Clark of the Hudson's Bay Company, +Winnipeg, informs me:</p> + +<p>"The first place I remember having seen pigeons in +Manitoba was at White Horse Plains (St. François +Xavier) in 1865, where they were very numerous, +breeding in the oak trees in that district. Two years +after this I went to Oak Point on Lake Manitoba, but +do not remember the birds there then nor since."</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_197" id="Page_197">[197]</a></span></p> + +<p>Mr. Charles A. Boultbee of Macgregor, Man., replies +as follows:</p> + +<p>"I have resided in Manitoba since 1872, and have +taken pigeons as far north as Fort Pelly in the fall of +1874, but know nothing of them previously. In our +district they usually made their appearance in the fall +and fed upon the grain. They continued fairly numerous +until about 1882, at which time we had to drive +them from the grain stocks, but they then disappeared +and only stragglers have been noted since."</p> + +<p>There is no doubt that many other reports could have +been secured, but, as all seem to tend toward the one +conclusion, I shall save time and space by summarizing +the information at hand.</p> + +<p>Some months ago I made a statement in an article, +written for local interest, to the effect that Manitoba +had never been the home of the wild pigeon. By this +I meant that, because of unfavorable breeding and feeding +conditions within the province, only the smallest +percentage of the enormous flocks recorded for the +south and east could possibly exist here. The records +here collected support me in this contention so far as +that portion of the province west of the Red River is +concerned, but the record of Sir John Richardson tends +to show that favorable conditions must have existed immediately +south of Lake Winnipeg, through what he +calls a low-lying district, and where we can assume that +the cranberry and blueberry were abundant, as they +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_198" id="Page_198">[198]</a></span> +were through the district subsequently reported by Mr. +McLean to the east and northeast of this district. +There is no doubt that the difference in the character +of the country east of the Red River from that of the +west would present more favorable conditions for the +birds, but not in one case has it been shown that the +birds nested in colonies approaching the size of the +famous eastern and southern roosts. Reports seem +rather to show that those which bred within the province +were more generally scattered over the country, at +the same time being numerous enough to permit the +shooter and the netter to make a profitable business of +killing the birds.</p> + +<p>All evidence seems to show that large numbers passed +through the province to and from a northern breeding +ground, possibly that recorded by Hutchins near Hudson's +Bay and to the westward, and that they were excessively +numerous up to about 1870, when they began +to decrease. As to the latest authenticated records, I +quote from notes in my pamphlet on "Rare Bird +Records:"</p> + +<p>"The beautiful specimen of the Passenger Pigeon that +I have been able to secure for illustration is loaned me +by Mr. Dan Smith of Winnipeg, who shot it in St. +Boniface, southeast of the cathedral, in the fall of 1893; +and, so far as I have been able to discover, it was the +last bird found in the vicinity of Winnipeg, while the +only specimen in the flesh which I was ever privileged +to handle in Manitoba was killed at Winnipegosis on +April 10, 1896, and sent me to be mounted."</p> + +<div id="fp198" class="figcenter" style="width: 448px;"> +<img src="images/fp_198.png" width="448" height="600" alt="" /> +<p class="fig_caption">Photo by C. O. Whitman (University of Chicago)</p> + +<div class="smaller"> +<p class="pmt2 tdr">October 16, 1906.</p> + +<p class="smcap p0">Mr. W. B. Mershon,</p> + +<p><span class="smcap">Dear Sir</span>:—I am much chagrined over +my carelessness in overlooking your request for a photo of a young +Passenger Pigeon. I had best of intentions, but crowded work threw +this out of mind. I should have attended to it at first, had it been +easy to get at the picture. I have been away all summer and found +things misplaced on my return. I fear it is now too late, but send the +picture to be used if you are still able to do so. I shall be very +much interested to see your book. I still have two female pigeons and +two hybrids between a former male pigeon and the common Ring-dove. The +hybrids are unfortunately infertile males.</p> + +<p class="center">Very truly,</p> + +<p class="tdr smcap">C. O. Whitman.</p> +</div> +</div> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_199" id="Page_199">[199]</a></span></p> + +<p>Since that time I have expended much effort in following +up rumors of the bird's presence in various districts +with a view of locating a breeding pair. Not +only have I sought to secure a bird to mount, but also +to get a live pair, or the eggs while fresh, to assist in +the preservation of the pigeon in a partially domesticated +state, since the only specimens now living in captivity +are those owned by Prof. Whitman of the University +of Chicago, who, in writing me, says: "My +stock seems to have come to a complete standstill, having +raised no young for the last four years. The weakness +is due to long inbreeding, as my birds are from a +single pair captured about twenty-five years ago in +Wisconsin. I have long tried to secure new stock, but +have been unsuccessful. A single pair would enable me +to save them, for they breed well in confinement.</p> + +<p>"I have crossed them with ring doves, and still have +three hybrids, but as these are infertile there is no hope +of even preserving these half-breeds alive. Of all the +wild pigeons in the world the Passenger Pigeon is my +favorite. No other pigeon combines so many fine qualities +in form, color, strength and perfection of wing +power."</p> + +<p>I am enabled through the kindness of Prof. Whitman +to exhibit a photograph of one of his younger birds +taken in his aviary at Chicago.</p> + +<hr class="chap" /> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_200" id="Page_200">[200]</a></span></p> + + +<p class="caption2"><a name="CHAPTER_XVII" id="CHAPTER_XVII">CHAPTER XVII</a></p> + +<p class="caption2">The Passenger Pigeon in Confinement</p> + +<p class="caption2">(<i>Ectopistes migratorius</i>)</p> + +<p class="caption3 pmb2">From "The Auk," July, 1896.</p> + +<div class="dropcap">I</div> + +<p class="p0"><span class="hidden">I</span>N the <i>American Field</i> of December 5, 1895, I +noticed a short note, stating that Mr. David +Whittaker of Milwaukee, Wis., had in a spacious +inclosure a flock of fifty genuine wild pigeons. Being +much interested of late in this bird, I at once wrote to +Mr. Whittaker, asking for such information in detail +regarding his birds as he could give me, but, owing to +absence from the city, he did not reply. Still being +anxious to learn something further regarding this interesting +subject, I recently wrote to a correspondent +in Milwaukee, asking him to investigate the matter. In +due time I received his reply, stating that he had seen +the pigeons, but that the flock consisted of fifteen instead +of fifty birds, and inviting me to join him and +spend a few hours of rare pleasure.</p> + +<p>On March 1, 1896, I visited Milwaukee, and made +a careful inspection of this beautiful flock. I am +greatly indebted to Mr. Whittaker, through whose +courtesy we saw and heard so much of value and interest, +not only in regard to his pet birds, but also about +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_201" id="Page_201">[201]</a></span> +his large experience with the wild pigeon in its native +haunts; for, being a keen observer of nature, and having +been a prospector for many years among the timber +and mining regions of Wisconsin, Michigan and Canada, +his opportunities for observation have been extensive. +In the fall of 1888 Mr. Whittaker received +from a young Indian two pairs of pigeons, one of +adults and the other quite young. They were trapped +near Lake Shawano, in Shawano County in northeastern +Wisconsin.</p> + +<p>Shortly after being confined, one of the old birds +scalped itself by flying against the wire netting, and +died; the other one escaped. The young pair were, +with much care and watching, successfully raised, and +from these the flock has increased to its present number, +six males and nine females. The inclosure, which +is not large, is built behind and adjoining the house, +situated on a high bluff overlooking Milwaukee River. +It is built of wire netting and inclosed on the top and +two sides with glass. There is but slight protection +from the cold, and the pigeons thrive in zero weather +as well as in summer. A few branches and poles are +used for roosting, and two shelves, about one foot wide +and partitioned off, though not inclosed, are where the +nests are built and the young are raised. It was several +years before Mr. Whittaker successfully raised the +young, but, by patient experimenting with various kinds +of food, he has been rewarded. The destruction of the +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_202" id="Page_202">[202]</a></span> +nests and egg, at times by the female, more often by +others of the flock, and the killing of the young birds, +after they leave the nest, by the old males, explains in +part the slow increase in the flock.</p> + +<p>When the pigeons show signs of nesting, small twigs +are thrown onto the bottom of the inclosure; and, on +the day of our visit, I was so fortunate as to watch the +operations of nest building. There were three pairs +actively engaged. The females remained on the shelf, +and, at a given signal which they only uttered for this +purpose, the males would select a twig or straw, and in +one instance a feather, and fly up to the nest, drop it and +return to the ground while the females placed the +building material in position and then called for more.</p> + +<p>In all of Mr. Whittaker's experience with this flock +he has never known of more than one egg being +deposited. Audubon, in his article on the Passenger +Pigeon, says: "A curious change of habits has taken +place in England in those pigeons which I presented to +the Earl of Kirby in 1830, that nobleman having assured +me that, ever since they began breeding in his +aviaries, they have laid only one egg." The eggs are +usually laid from the middle of February to the middle +of September, some females laying as many as seven or +eight during the season, though three or four is the +average.</p> + +<p>The period of incubation is fourteen days, almost to +a day, and, if the egg is not hatched in that time, the +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_203" id="Page_203">[203]</a></span> +birds desert it. As in the wild state, both parents assist +in incubation, the females sitting all night, and the +males by day. As soon as the young are hatched the +parents are fed on earth worms, beetles, grubs, etc., +which are placed in a box of earth, from which they +greedily feed, afterwards nourishing the young, in the +usual way, by disgorging the contents from the crop. +At times the earth in the inclosure is moistened with +water and a handful of worms thrown in, which soon +find their way under the surface. The pigeons are so +fond of these tid-bits they will often pick and scratch +holes in their search, large enough to almost hide themselves.</p> + +<p>When the birds are sitting during cold weather, the +egg is tucked up under the feathers, as though to support +the egg in its position. At such times the pigeon rests +on the side of the folded wing, instead of squatting on +the nest. During the first few days, after the young is +hatched, to guard against the cold, it is, like the egg, +concealed under the feathers of the abdomen, the head +always pointing forward. In this attitude, the parents, +without changing the sitting position or reclining on +the side, feed the squab by arching the head and neck +down, and administering the food. The young leave +the nest in about fourteen days, and then feed on small +seeds, and later, with the old birds, subsist on grains, +beech nuts, acorns, etc.</p> + +<p>The adults usually commence to molt in September +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_204" id="Page_204">[204]</a></span> +and are but a few weeks in assuming their new dress, +but the young in the first molt are much longer. At the +time of my visit the birds were all in perfect plumage. +The young in the downy state are a dark slate-color.</p> + +<p>The pigeons are always timid, and ever on the alert +when being watched, and the observer must approach +them cautiously to prevent a commotion. They inherit +the instincts of their race in a number of ways. +On the approach of a storm the old birds will arrange +themselves side by side on the perch, draw the head and +neck down into the feathers, and sit motionless for a +time, then gradually resume an upright position, spread +the tail, stretch each wing in turn, and then, as at a given +signal, they spring from the perch and bring up against +the wire netting with their feet as though anxious to fly +before the disturbing elements. Mr. Whittaker has +noticed this same trait while observing pigeons in the +woods.</p> + +<p>It was with a peculiar sense of pleasure and satisfaction +that I witnessed and heard all the facts about this +flock, inasmuch as but few of us expect to again have +such opportunities with this pigeon in the wild state. +It is to be hoped that, if Mr. Whittaker continues to +successfully increase these birds, he will dispose of a +pair to some zoölogical gardens; for what would be a +more valuable and interesting addition than an aviary +of this rapidly diminishing species?</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_205" id="Page_205">[205]</a></span></p> + + +<p class="center">LETTERS OF COMMENT FROM CHIEF POKAGON.</p> + +<p class="tdr"><span class="smcap">Hartford, Mich.</span>, Dec. 17, 1896.</p> + +<p class="p0"><span class="smcap">Ruthven Deane</span>, Chicago, Ill.</p> + +<p><span class="smcap">Dear Sir</span>:—Your article on wild +pigeons (<i>O-me-me-oo</i>) +received and just read with much interest. I +am now satisfied you are deeply interested in those +strange birds, or you would not have gone to Milwaukee +to see them. I would like to have Whittaker's +full name and address so I can learn the come-out of +that little flock. You note his flock stands zero weather. +Many times in my life I have known O-me-me-oo, while +nesting, to be obliged to search for food in from four +to six inches of snow, and have seen the snow at such +times upturned and intermixed with forest leaves for +miles and miles. They would move out of the nesting +grounds in vast columns, flying one over the other. I +have seen them at such times reminding me of a vast +flood of water rolling over a rocky bottom, sending the +water in curved lines upwards and falling farther down +the stream.</p> + +<p>I have seen them many times building nests by the +thousand within sight, both male and female assisting +in building the nest. I have counted the number of +sticks used many times; they number from seventy to +one hundred and ten, sometimes so frail I have plainly +seen the eggs from the ground.</p> + +<p>I visited a nesting north of Kilburn City, Wis., about +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_206" id="Page_206">[206]</a></span> +twenty-five years ago, and I there counted as high as +forty nests in scrub oaks not over twenty-five feet high; +in many places I could pick the eggs out of the nests, +being not over five or six feet from the ground.</p> + +<p>I stopped then with the Win-a-ba-go Indians, and +was much interested in seeing them play mog-i-cin. I +had heard the fathers explain the game when a boy, +but never saw it before. I call it a gambling game. +Certain it is, when nesting in a wild state, the male +goes out at break of day; returning from eight to eleven +he takes the nest; the hen then goes out, returning from +one to four, and takes the nest; then the male goes out, +returning, according to feed, between that time and +night.</p> + +<p>After the young leave their nests, I have always +noticed that a few, both males and females, stay with +them. I have seen as many as a dozen young ones +assemble about a male, and, with drooping wings, utter +the plaintive begging notes to be fed, and never saw +them misused at such times by either gender. Certain +it is, while feeding their young they are frantic for salt. +I have seen them pile on top of each other, about salt +springs, two or more deep. I wonder if your friend +gives his birds, while brooding, salt.</p> + +<p class="tdr"><span class="smcap">Hartford, Mich.</span>, Dec. 18, 1896.</p> + +<p><span class="smcap">Dear Sir</span>:—Yours of December 17th at hand. It +is indeed surprising to me that your place of business +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_207" id="Page_207">[207]</a></span> +is so close to old Fort Dearborn. In writing you yesterday, +I overlooked what you said about the Milwaukee +man's experience with his birds just hatching. I understand +they were young birds. Thirty-two years ago +there was a big nesting between South Haven and St. +Joseph on Lake Michigan. About one week after the +main body commenced nesting, a new body of great size, +covering hundreds of acres, came and joined them. I +never saw nests built so thick, high and low. I found +they were all young birds less than a year old, which +could be easily explained from their mottled coloring. +To my surprise, soon as nests were built, they commenced +tearing them down—a few eggs scattered about +told some had laid; within three days they all left, +moving in a body up the lake shore north. I have had +like facts told me by others who have witnessed the +same thing; and therefore conclude that your friend's +experience accurately portrays the habits of these birds +in their wild state.</p> + +<p class="tdr2 smcap">University of Chicago,</p> + +<p class="tdr">May 30, 1904.</p> + +<p><span class="smcap">Dear Sir</span>:—I have ten of the wild pigeons; they are +from a single pair obtained by Mr. Whittaker of Milwaukee +about twenty years ago. Mr. W. bred from +this pair until he had a dozen or more. I obtained a +few pairs from him, and they bred fairly well for a few +years, but lately have failed to accomplish anything. +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_208" id="Page_208">[208]</a></span> +This season a single egg was obtained. It developed +for about a week and then halted. The stock is evidently +weakened by inbreeding so long. I can give no +information as to time of disappearance. I have +sought information far and near. Only a few birds +have been reported the last three years. One was reported +on pretty reliable grounds from Toronto last +summer.</p> + +<p>Sorry I can give you no satisfactory details.</p> + +<p class="center">Yours truly,</p> + +<p class="smcap tdr">C. O. Whitman.</p> + +<p>[Under date of June 6, 1905, Prof. Whitman of the +University of Chicago wrote to me that his flock had +been reduced from ten to four since he last wrote. He +says that one pair were then beginning the maneuvers +preceding nesting, but he doubted very much if they +would accomplish anything.]</p> + +<hr class="chap" /> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_209" id="Page_209">[209]</a></span></p> + + +<p class="caption2"><a name="CHAPTER_XVIII" id="CHAPTER_XVIII">CHAPTER XVIII</a></p> + +<p class="caption2">Nesting Habits of the Passenger Pigeon</p> + +<p class="caption3 pmb2">By Eugene Pericles (Dr. Morris Gibbs), from "The Oölogist, 1894."</p> + +<div class="dropcap">T</div> + +<p class="p0"><span class="hidden">T</span>HERE are hundreds and perhaps thousands of +the younger readers of <i>The Oölogist</i> who have +never seen a Passenger Pigeon alive. In fact, +there are many who have never seen a skin or stuffed +specimen, for the species is so rare now that very few +of the younger collectors have had an opportunity of +shooting a bird. And of the present generation of +oölogists, the ones who have secured a set (one egg) +are indeed very few.</p> + +<p>Many of the older ornithologists can remember when +the birds appeared among us in myriads each season, +and were mercilessly and inconsiderately trapped and +shot whenever and wherever they appeared. I could +fill a book with the accounts of their butcheries, and +could easily cause astonishment in my readers by telling +of the immense flocks which were seen a quarter of a +century ago. But wonderful as these tales would appear, +they would be as nothing compared to the stories +of the earlier writers on birds in America.</p> + +<p>. . . Of course we know that the net and gun +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_210" id="Page_210">[210]</a></span> +have been the principal means of destruction, but it is +almost fair to assert that even with the net and gun +under proper restrictions, the pigeon would still be with +us in hordes, both spring and autumn. For many years +hunters (butchers) used to shoot the birds regularly at +their nesting places, while the netters were also found +near at hand.</p> + +<p>I have seen many birds taken, by unsportsmanlike +netters, for the market during spring migrations, and +the published accounts of the destruction by netters is +almost beyond belief. Doctor Kirtland states that near +Circleville, Ohio, in 1850, there were taken in a single +net in one day 1,285 live pigeons.</p> + +<p>The Passenger Pigeon was in the habit of crossing the +Ohio River by March 1 in the spring migrations, and +I have noted the birds several times in Michigan in +February. But this was not usually the case, for the +birds were not abundant generally before April 1, +although no set rule could be laid down regarding their +appearance or departure either in spring or fall. They +usually came with a mighty rush. Sometimes they did +not appear, or, at least, only very sparingly. Their +nesting sites would remain the same for years if the +birds were unmolested, but they generally had to change +every year or two, or as soon as the roost was discovered +by the despicable market netter.</p> + +<p>Where the mighty numbers went to when they left +for the south is not accurately stated, and, of course, this +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_211" id="Page_211">[211]</a></span> +will now never be known, but they were found to continue +in flocks in Virginia, Kentucky and even Tennessee.</p> + +<p>. . . In the latter part of April or early May +the birds began nesting. The nest building beginning +as soon as the birds had selected a woods for a rookery, +the scene was one of great activity. Birds were flying in +every direction in search of twigs for their platform +nests, and it did seem that each pair was intent on securing +materials at a distance from the structure. Many +twigs were dropped in flying, or at the nest, and these +were never reclaimed by their bearers, but were often +picked up by other birds from another part of the rookery. +This peculiarity in so many species of birds in nest +building I could never understand.</p> + +<p>It takes a pair of pigeons from four to six days to +complete a nest, and any basketmaker could do a hundred +per cent. better job with the same materials in a +couple of hours. In the nest of the pigeon, man could +certainly give the birds points for their benefit, for it is +one of the most shiftless structures placed in trees that I +have met with.</p> + +<p>The nest is always composed of slender dead twigs, +so far as I have observed, or ever learned from others, +and in comparison, though smaller, much resembles +some of the heron's structures. In some nests I have +observed the materials are so loosely put together +that the egg or young bird can be seen through the +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_212" id="Page_212">[212]</a></span> +latticed bottom. In fact, it has been my custom to +always thus examine the nests before climbing the +tree.</p> + +<p>The platform structures vary in diameter from six +to twelve inches or more, differing in size according to +the length of the sticks, but generally are about nine or +ten inches across. An acquaintance of mine had tamed +some wild birds, which at last bred regularly in captivity. +These birds were well supplied with an abundance +of material for their nests and always selected in +confinement such as described above, and making a nest +about nine inches in diameter.</p> + +<p>The breeding places are generally found in oak +woods, but the great nesting sites in Michigan were +often in timbered lands, I am informed.</p> + +<p>The height of the nest varies. It may be as low as +six feet or all of sixty-five feet from the ground.</p> + +<p>Passenger Pigeons are always gregarious when unmolested, +and hundreds of thousands sometimes breed +in a neighborhood at one time. It is impossible to say +how many nests were the most found in one tree, but +there are authenticated instances of a hundred. One +man, on whose veracity I rely, informs me that he +counted 110 nests in one tree in Emmett County, the +lower peninsula. Still this may not be correct, for we +all know how easy it is to be deceived in correctly counting +and keeping record of even the branches of a tree, +and when these limbs are occupied by nests it is certainly +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_213" id="Page_213">[213]</a></span> +doubly difficult, and the tendency to count the +same nests twice is increased.</p> + +<p>The first nests that I found were in large white oak +trees at the edge of a pond. The date was May 17, +1873. The nests were few in number and only one nest +in a tree. There was but a single egg in a nest; in fact +this is all I have found at any time. The last nest that +I have met with south of the forty-third parallel was +forty feet up in a tamarack tree in a swamp near the +river, June 1, 1884. This nest was alone and would not +have been discovered had not the birds flown to it. I +have found several instances of pairs of pigeons building +isolated nests, and cannot help but think that if all +birds had followed this custom that the pigeons would +still be with us in vast numbers.</p> + +<p>As late as May 9, 1880, my lamented friend, the late +C. W. Gunn, found a rookery in a cedar woods in Cheboygan +County. These nests contained a single egg +each, and he secured about fifty fresh eggs. He did not +think their number excessive, as the netters were killing +the birds in every direction. But now we can look upon +such a trip almost as devastation because the birds are +so scarce.</p> + +<p>In 1885 I met with the pigeon on Mackinac Island, +and have found a few isolated flocks in the Lower +Peninsula since then, generally in the fall, but it is safe +to say that the birds will never again appear in one-thousandth +part of the number of former years.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_214" id="Page_214">[214]</a></span></p> + +<p>The places where the birds are nesting are interesting +spots to visit. Both parents incubate and the scene is +animated as the birds fly about in all directions. However, +as the bulk of the birds must fly to quite a distance +from an immense rookery to find food, it necessarily +follows that the main flocks arrive and depart +evening and morning. Then the crush is often terrific +and the air is fairly alive with birds. The rush of their +thousands of wings makes a mighty noise like the sound +of a stiff breeze through the trees.</p> + +<p>Often when the large flocks settle at the roost the +birds crowd so closely on the slender limbs that they +bend down and sometimes crack, and the sound of the +dead branches falling from their weight adds an additional +likeness to a storm. Sometimes the returning +birds will settle on a limb which holds nests and then +many eggs are dashed to the ground, and beneath the +trees of a rookery one may always find a lot of smashed +eggs.</p> + +<p>Later in the season young birds may be seen perched +all over the trees or on the ground, while big squabs +with pin-feathers on are seen in, or rather on, the frail +nests, or lying dead or injured on the ground. The +frightful destruction that is sure to accompany the nesting +of a rookery of Passenger Pigeons is bound to attract +the observer's eye. And we cannot but understand how +it is that these unprolific birds with many natural enemies, +in addition to that unnatural enemy, man, fail to +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_215" id="Page_215">[215]</a></span> +increase. If the pigeon deposited ten to twenty eggs +like the quail the unequal battle of equal survival might +be kept up. But even this is to be doubted if the bird +continues to nest in colonies.</p> + +<p>Many ornithological writers have written that the +wild pigeon lays two eggs as a rule, but these men were +evidently not accurate observers, and probably took their +records at second-hand. There is no doubt that two +eggs are quite often found in a nest, and sometimes +these eggs are both fresh, or else equally advanced in +incubation. But these instances, I think, are evidences +alone that two females have deposited in the same nest, +a supposition which is not improbable with the gregarious +species.</p> + +<p>That the wild pigeon may rear two or three young in +a season, I do not doubt, and an old trapper and observer +has offered this theory to explain the condition +where there are found both egg and young in the same +nest, or squabs of widely varied ages. He asserts that +when an egg is about ready to hatch, a second egg was +deposited in the nest, and that the squab assisted in incubating +the egg when the old birds were both away for +food, and that in time a third and last egg was laid, so +that three young were hatched each season, if the birds +are unmolested.</p> + +<p>This peculiarity may exist with the pigeon, but I can +add nothing to further it from my own observations, +except to record the finding of an egg in the nest with +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_216" id="Page_216">[216]</a></span> +a half-grown bird—the only instance in my experience. +From watching the ways of some captive birds kept as +stool-pigeons, I am well satisfied that two young are not +rarely hatched at some weeks apart, and they do fairly +well in confinement.</p> + +<p>The young are fed by a process known as regurgitation, +the partially digested contents of the birds' crops +being ejected into the mouths of the squabs.</p> + +<p>The position of the nest varies greatly. Often the +nests are well out on slender branches and in dangerous +positions, considering the shiftlessness of the structure. +When a rookery is visited, nests may be found in all +manner of situation. I have found single nests built on +small twigs next the body of an oak tree, and at a height +of only ten feet, and again have seen nests forty feet up +in thick tamaracks.</p> + +<p>The eggs do not vary much in size or color. They +are white, but without the polish seen on the egg of the +domestic pigeon. About one and one-half by one inch +is the regulation size.</p> + +<p>By reference to old price lists of nearly a quarter of +a century ago I find that the eggs were then listed at +twenty-five cents, while it would be difficult to secure +good specimens at present at six times the figure.</p> + +<hr class="chap" /> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_217" id="Page_217">[217]</a></span></p> + + +<p class="caption2"><a name="CHAPTER_XIX" id="CHAPTER_XIX">CHAPTER XIX</a></p> + +<p class="caption2 pmb2">Miscellaneous Notes</p> + +<div class="dropcap">T</div> + +<p class="p0"><span class="hidden">T</span>HE earliest mention of the wild pigeon I have +been able to find is the following, taken from +<i>Forest and Stream</i>, to which it was contributed +by F. C. Browne, Framingham, Mass. It is +from an old print entitled, "Two Voyages to New England, +Made During the Years 1638-63," by John Josselyn, +Gent. Published in 1674. I am not so fortunate as +to possess an original copy. This extract is from the Boston +reprint of 1865, and is from the "Second Voyage" +(1663), which has a full account of the wild beasts, +birds and fishes of the new settlement:</p> + +<p>"The Pidgeons, of which there are millions of millions. +I have seen a flight of Pidgeons in the Spring, +and at Michaelmas when they return back to the South-ward, +for four or five miles, that to my thinking had +neither beginning nor ending, length nor breadth, and +so thick that I could see no Sun. They join Nest to +Nest and Tree to Tree by their Nests many miles together +in Pine-Trees. I have bought at Boston a dozen +Pidgeons ready pulled and garbidged for three pence. +But of late they are much diminished, the English taking +them with Nets."</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_218" id="Page_218">[218]</a></span></p> + +<p>It will be noted that the wild pigeons began to be +"much diminished" even at that early date.</p> + +<p>The following extract is from the journal of the +voyage of Father Gravier in the year 1700:</p> + +<p>"Through the Country of the Illinois to the Mouth +of the Mississippi."</p> + +<p>Under date of October 7th he says:</p> + +<p>"Below the mouth of the Ouabache (meaning the +Wabash River), we saw such a great quantity of wild +pigeons that the air was darkened and quite covered by +them."</p> + +<p>The journal of Alexander Henry, the younger, written +in August, 1800, states that large numbers of wild +pigeons were seen and used for food by his party. This +was at a point on the Red River not far north of what +is now Grand Forks, N. D.</p> + +<p>The Passenger Pigeon found a place in a book called +"Quebec and Its Environments; Being a Picturesque +Guide to the Stranger." Printed by Thomas Cary & +Co., Freemasons' Hall, Buade Street, 1831. A rare +copy was found in the library of the late Charles Dean, +having been purchased by him while visiting Quebec in +1841. It is now in the possession of Ruthven Deane of +Chicago. I quote from this old guide-book as follows:</p> + +<div id="fp218" class="figcenter" style="width: 612px;"> +<img src="images/fp_218.png" width="612" height="454" alt="" /> +<p class="fig_title">PIGEON NET</p> + +<p class="fig_caption">Taken from an old etching</p> +</div> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_219" id="Page_219">[219]</a></span></p> + +<p>"At one period of the year numerous and immense +flights of pigeons visit Canada, when the population +make a furious war against them both by guns and nets; +they supply the inhabitants with a material part of their +subsistence, and are sold in the market at Quebec remarkably +cheap, often as low as a shilling per dozen, +and sometimes even at a less rate. It appears that the +pigeon prefers the loftiest and most leafless tree to +settle on. In addition to the natural beauty of St. Ann +and its environs, the process by which the inhabitants +take the pigeons is worth remarking. Upon the loftiest +tree, long bare poles are slantingly fixed; small pieces +of wood are placed transversely across this pole, upon +which the birds crowd; below, in ambush, the sportsman +with a long gun enfilades the whole length of the pole, +and, when he fires, few if any escape. Innumerable +poles are prepared at St. Ann for this purpose. The +other method they have of taking them is by nets, by +which means they are enabled to preserve them alive, +and kill them occasionally for their own use or for the +market, when it has ceased to be glutted with them. +Behind Madam Fontane's this sport may be seen in perfection. +The nets, which are very large, are placed at +the end of an avenue of trees (for it appears the pigeons +choose an avenue to fly down); opposite a large tree, +upon erect poles two nets are suspended, one facing the +avenue, the other the tree; another is placed over them, +which is fixed at one end, and supported by pulleys and +two perpendicular poles at the opposite; a man is hid +in a small covered house under the tree, with a rope +leading from the pulleys in his hand. Directly the +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_220" id="Page_220">[220]</a></span> +pigeons fly against the perpendicular nets, he pulls the +rope, when the top net immediately falls and incloses +the whole flock; by this process vast numbers are taken."</p> + +<p>"Tanner's Narrative," a story (authentic) of thirty +years among the Indians, published in 1830, refers frequently +to great numbers of pigeons, and gives their +range from the Kentucky, Big Miami and Ohio Rivers +to Lake Winnipeg, or "The Lake of Dirty Waters."</p> + +<p>Mr. Osborn further adds: "Tanner was a United +States Indian interpreter at the Soo."</p> + +<p>William Glazier made a trip to the headwaters of +the Mississippi River in 1881 and wrote a book entitled +"Down the Mississippi River." In three different +places in this book he mentions seeing wild pigeons. In +one place he says that a small flock of pigeons dropped +down in the tops of some tall pines near him.</p> + +<p>In Hayden's Survey Report, Interior Department, as +given in Coues' "Birds of the Northwest," 1874, it is +mentioned that wild pigeons were found on the Pacific +coast, and Cooper reports them in the Rocky Mountains. +[High authority, but it must have referred to +the band-tailed pigeon.—W. B. M.]</p> + +<p class="pmt2">From the foregoing chapters I have summarized the +latest reports of the presence of the wild pigeon in its +former haunts. These instances have been reported as +follows:</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_221" id="Page_221">[221]</a></span></p> + +<p>N. W. Judy & Co., St. Louis, Mo., the largest dealers +in poultry and game in that section, said, in 1895, they +had had no wild pigeons for two years; the last they +received were from Siloam Springs, Ark. This would +mean that they were on the market during the season of +1893. Until 1890 frequent reports were recorded of +pigeons seen singly, in pairs and in small flocks.</p> + +<p>In 1891 Mr. F. M. Woodruff, Assistant Curator of +the Chicago Academy of Sciences, secured a pair at +Lake Forest, Ill.</p> + +<p>A nest with two eggs and two birds were collected +by C. B. Brown of Chicago in the spring of 1893 at +English Lake, Ind.</p> + +<p>In September, 1893, three were reported in Lake +County, Ill.</p> + +<p>In April of the same year, a male pigeon was reported +as having been seen in Lincoln Park, Ill.</p> + +<p>Mr. R. W. Stafford of Chicago, Ill., reported seeing +a flock in the latter part of September, 1894, at Marengo, +Ill.</p> + +<p>Mr. John L. Stockton, Highland Park, Ill., reported +that while trout fishing on the Little Oconto River, +Wis., early in June, 1895, he saw a flock of ten pigeons +for several consecutive days near his camp.</p> + +<p>A young female was killed at Lake Forest, Ill., in +August, 1895.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_222" id="Page_222">[222]</a></span></p> + +<p>In October, 1895, Dr. Ernest Copeland of Milwaukee +killed one in Delta, Northern Peninsula, Mich.</p> + +<p>On December 17, 1896, C. N. Holden, Jr., while +hunting quail in Oregon County, Mo., observed a flock +of about fifty birds.</p> + +<p>Chief Pokagon reports there was a small nesting of +pigeons near the head waters of the Au Sable River in +Michigan, during the spring of 1896.</p> + +<p>A. Fugleburg of Oshkosh, Wis., reports that on the +morning of August 14, 1897, he saw a flock of pigeons +flying over Lake Winnebago from Fisherman's Island +to Stony Brook. This flock was followed by six more +flocks containing from thirty-five to eighty pigeons each. +The same observer reports that on September 2, 1897, +a friend of his reported having seen a flock of about +twenty-five near Lake Butte des Mortes, Wis.</p> + +<p>W. F. Rightmire reports that while driving along +the highway north of Cook, Johnson County, Neb., +August 18, 1897, he saw a flock of seventy-five to one +hundred birds; some feeding on the ground, others +perched in the trees.</p> + +<p>A. B. Covert of Ann Arbor, President at one time of +the Michigan Ornithological Club, reports seeing stray +birds during 1892 and 1894, and states also that on +October 1, 1898, he saw a flock of 200 and watched +them nearly all day.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_223" id="Page_223">[223]</a></span></p> + +<p>T. E. Douglas of Grayling reports seeing a flock of +ten near West Branch, Mich., in 1895, and in 1900 he +saw three on one of the branches of the Au Sable River +in Michigan.</p> + +<p>In 1897 C. S. Osborn of Sault Ste Marie reported +having seen a single wild bird flying with the tame +pigeons around the town.</p> + +<p>In 1897 or 1898 C. E. Jennison of Bay City saw six +or seven at Thunder Bay Island near Alpena, Mich.</p> + +<p>In 1900 Neal Brown of Wausau, Wis., killed one +near Babcock, Wis., in September.</p> + +<p>George King of Otsego County, Mich., in 1900 saw +a flock of one dozen or more birds on the Black River, +and he says he heard two "holler" in 1902, but was +unable to find them. In May, 1905, he is certain he saw +six near Vanderbilt, Mich.</p> + +<p>John Burroughs reports that a friend of his, Charles +W. Benton, saw a large flock of wild pigeons near +Prattsville, Greene County, N. Y., in April, 1906.</p> + + +<p class="caption3">EARLY LEGISLATION TO SAVE THE PIGEON</p> + +<p>Wild pigeons were used largely by trap-shooters for +tournaments. In 1881, 20,000 of them were killed in +one of these trap-shooting butcheries on Coney Island, +N. Y. The following editorial protest against this outrage +appeared in <i>Forest and Stream</i>, July 14, 1881:</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_224" id="Page_224">[224]</a></span></p> + +<p><i>Mr. Bergh's Anti-Pigeon Bill.</i>—Just as we go to +press we learn that the Senate has passed the bill prepared +by Mr. Henry Bergh prohibiting the trap-shooting +of pigeons. The bill awaits Governor Cornell's +signature before becoming a law. Its provisions are:</p> + +<p><span class="smcap">Section 1.</span> Any person who shall keep or use any +live pigeon, fowl, or other bird or animal for the purpose +of a target or to be shot at either for amusement +or as a test of skill in marksmanship, and any person +who shall shoot at any pigeon, fowl, or other bird or +animal, as aforesaid, or be a party to any such shooting +of any pigeon, fowl or other bird or animal; and any +person who shall rent any building, shed, room, yard, +field, or other premises, or shall suffer or permit the use +of any building, shed, room, yard, field, or other premises +for the purpose of shooting any pigeon, fowl, or +other bird or animal, as aforesaid, shall be guilty of a +misdemeanor.</p> + +<p><span class="smcap">Section 2.</span> Nothing herein contained shall apply to +the shooting of any wild game in its wild state.</p> + +<p>The bill is a direct and not wholly unexpected result +of the Coney Island pigeon-killing tournament of the +New York State Association for the Protection of Fish +and Game. Had the sport of pigeon shooting been confined +to individual clubs of gentlemen testing their skill +at the traps, it is doubtful if the matter ever would have +received, as it would not have merited, public attention. +But when a society, which organized ostensibly for the +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_225" id="Page_225">[225]</a></span> +protection of game, treats the public to such a spectacle +as that at Coney Island, neglects the matter with which +it should be concerned and devotes 20,000 pigeons +brought from their nesting ground to its wholesale +slaughter, its members can hardly look for any other +public sentiment than exactly that feeling which has +been aroused. An afternoon's shoot at a few pigeons, +and a ten days' shoot at unlimited numbers of helpless +birds—many of them squabs, unable to fly, and others +too exhausted to do so—are regarded by the public as +two very different things.</p> + + +<p> </p> +<hr class="full" /> +<p> </p> +<p> </p> + +<div class="transnote"> +<p class="caption2">Transcriber's Note</p> + +<p>Obvious punctuation and spelling errors were corrected.</p> + +<p>One 'signature' of Ruthven Deane was modified from the printed version +to match the others.</p> + +<p>Where quotations began and were not closed, a closing quotation mark +was placed at the end of that paragraph:</p> + +<p class="p0" style="margin-left:5em;"><a href="#Page_155">p. 155</a> "There are no wild pigeons in Iosco County…<br /> +<a href="#Page_71">p. 171</a> "In three years' time…</p> + +<p><a id="Transcription"></a>Transcription of circular shown facing +<a href="#Page_92">page 92</a> for screen readers:</p> + +<p class="bbox" style="width:70%; margin:0 auto; padding:1.5em; text-align:center;"> +AMONG THE PIGEONS.<br /> +<br /> +A Reply to Professor Roney's Account of<br /> +the Michigan Nestings of 1878.<br /> +<br /> +—BY—<br /> +<br /> +E. T. MARTIN,<br /> +<br /> +In the <span class="smcap">Chicago Field</span>, Jan. 25, 1879.<br /> +<br /> +Illustration: building and pigeons<br /> +<br /> +E. T. Martin's Headquarters at Boyne Falls, Michigan, during the +Nesting of 1878.</p> +</div> + +<p> </p> +<p> </p> +<div>*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 44729 ***</div> +</body> +</html> diff --git a/44729-h/images/cover.jpg b/44729-h/images/cover.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..48c1ce2 --- /dev/null +++ b/44729-h/images/cover.jpg diff --git a/44729-h/images/fp_024.png b/44729-h/images/fp_024.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..f877188 --- /dev/null +++ b/44729-h/images/fp_024.png diff --git a/44729-h/images/fp_088.png b/44729-h/images/fp_088.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..0dcc212 --- /dev/null +++ b/44729-h/images/fp_088.png diff --git a/44729-h/images/fp_092.png b/44729-h/images/fp_092.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..40c9544 --- /dev/null +++ b/44729-h/images/fp_092.png diff --git a/44729-h/images/fp_104.png b/44729-h/images/fp_104.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..bb4e562 --- /dev/null +++ b/44729-h/images/fp_104.png diff --git a/44729-h/images/fp_130.png b/44729-h/images/fp_130.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..75108f2 --- /dev/null +++ b/44729-h/images/fp_130.png diff --git a/44729-h/images/fp_156.png b/44729-h/images/fp_156.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..1911985 --- /dev/null +++ b/44729-h/images/fp_156.png diff --git a/44729-h/images/fp_198.png b/44729-h/images/fp_198.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..1a85bce --- /dev/null +++ b/44729-h/images/fp_198.png diff --git a/44729-h/images/fp_218.png b/44729-h/images/fp_218.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..22223e8 --- /dev/null +++ b/44729-h/images/fp_218.png diff --git a/44729-h/images/frontis.png b/44729-h/images/frontis.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..b95bb08 --- /dev/null +++ b/44729-h/images/frontis.png diff --git a/44729-h/images/ip_120.png b/44729-h/images/ip_120.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..f3c1b86 --- /dev/null +++ b/44729-h/images/ip_120.png diff --git a/44729-h/images/ip_121.png b/44729-h/images/ip_121.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..095764f --- /dev/null +++ b/44729-h/images/ip_121.png diff --git a/44729-h/images/logo.png b/44729-h/images/logo.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..4575ddd --- /dev/null +++ b/44729-h/images/logo.png |
