Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1907-03-08
FOR The YOUNG PEOPLE.
After a Quarter of Century Wild
Pigeons by Millions Return TO
the United States.
IEDITED BY HIS NIBs, sL1NGF1sT. |

Reports from the Lake Superior
region indicate, that after an absence
of many years, wild pigeons-also
called passenger pigeons because of
the conspicuous habit of passing
from one part Of the world tn
another in immense flocks, sometimes
clouding the sun iu flight-are
coming back to the forests of 'the
north country" Just where these
pretty birds of passage have kept
themselves for a quarter of century
is not known, but the general suppo
sition is that they have been breed
ing in the wooded and unsettled
regions of South America. The
Boston Advertiser says woodsmen
report hundreds of fiocks along the
Cloquet river, and colonies have also
appeared in the Wisconsin woods.
north of Lake Superior.
Many middle-aged aud elderly men
remember the old days on their
farms in the Great Lakes region.
when these birds were so numerous
that boy could kill hundreds in a
day with no better weapon than a
club. In those days trapping the
birds for the market was a regular
business with a large number of
men. Nets were spred out in the
stubble field after the harvest. A
few decoy pigeons were placed here
and there, just as sportsmen now
decoy wild ducksin their flight. Then,
lured by their kind, and a lavish
Sprinkling of grain, the pigeons
would descend in thousands in the
net covered grounds. A dexterous
sweep of the net 10y experienced
hands would entrap the quarry.
The birds were served at hotels
and restaurants in the cities and
were regarded as great del;cacy.
In fact, such great favor did this
bird win that SQUAD raising has been
a profitable business since the de-
parture of the wild species years ago.
The Boston paper says stories
about old settlers seeing millions of
passenger pigeons instead of thous-
ands might SEEM somewhat exagger-
ated. but early travellers in the region
of the Great Lakes have remarked in
their writings the enormoa numbers
of these birds. Their food consisted
mainly of the smallest acorn and the
thin-shelled nuts, especially beech
nuts, and variety of berries and
small fruits. Where such material
was plentiful they gathered in vast
congregations, which thronged upon
the trees until the branches would
break with their weight"
Pigeon shooting was a favorte
amusement among sportsmen when
birds were plentiful. AS many as
10000 birds were used at "a single
tournament before public sentiment
and law checked the slaughter. The
incessant slaughter and persecution,
together with the clearing away of
large areas of forest, rapidly drove
the pigeons out.
The disappearance of the birds
from the lakes region was FASTENED
by the cold winters and late. stormy
springs between 1860 and 1896
Since then the wild pigeons have
been known only in scattered num-
bers here and there, but their natural
enemies are now diminished and fol-
some reason they are coming back tc
their old haunts.
just twenty five years ago thi:
month His Nibs was in camp in
Mexican county, Pennsylvania, neal
Bradford-or about mid way between
Alton and Smethport-to be more
accurate, on Kinzua creek, where ,
great iron bridge 301 feet high
stretches from one mountain top tC
another. We had hunted bear
trapped bears and had a bear-anC
bull fight; had chased the papa anC
mamma deer and little ones. and
found the battle ground and lockee
horns of two magnificent bucks, a,
told you last week. But one da,
mountain lad told us of "pigeoi
roost" not far from Smethport, anC
we resolved to find out what tha
meant.
You needn't believe it if yon dom
want to; but it is fact, and the his
tory of that section will bear it out
February, 1882: towards sundown tn,
sky became darkened over the dens,