New-York tribune., 1910-06-04
WHERE IS THE WILD PIGEON?
Has New Habitats, Correspondent
Thinks Slaughter of 20 Years Ago.

To the Editor of The Tribune
Sir: | have read with much interest IN
The Tribune of May is the article entitled
Saving the Wild Pigeon II reVives
memories of the sos of the last century,
when the writer, d lad, i'm the hudson
River Valley, confesses to have shot thehl
with hintlock gun.
At that early day and In March every
year they flew in millions on their way
from the South TO their nesting grounss
in the northern woods, presumably IN Can
ada or Northern Maine. Often Oh faNoT-
able sunny days the sky would be streakea
with them from early morning till sunset
But they vanished iii the early 49s' ana
their habitat, if in existence, is not known
The idea of their sudden and total ex-
tinction is not q reasonable one That thelr
persecution has led them to emigrate weulo
seem more likely. But where? 1t is more
than sixty years ago that they left the
Eastern States, but it seems by this article
they had stronghold in Northern Micht-
gan as late as 1856, where they were wan
tonly slaughtered in thousands.
1t is hardly probable the Ornithol0gieal
Union will make any discoveries of their
nesting. If discovered, how will they De
protected from the rapacious, lawless
gunners? This may be deemed fTuitless
quest.
When in New Hampshire a year ago
the writer was shown by an amateur taxi
dermist valuable and wellntgh compre-
hensive collection of the birds of the region,
all killed and mounted by himself, and not
a wild pigeon among them in all his
tramps In the woods, though most anxious.
he had never discovered one.
This wild pigeon is an interesting study,
and the desire to discover his present home,
if in existence. is a laudabie one. We do
not hear of him on the Pacific side in num-
bers or habits of migration as formerly In
the East. In speculating as to aheir pres
ent whereab bouts a man OF intelligence re-
Gently averred they had gone to South
America.
The cause of their leaving the Atlantic
States is apparent in the almost universal
destruction of the grand old white oak
WOODS that until seventy years ago were
found in almost every farming region in
the East The acorns of these were the
chief food of the pigeons on their delib-
crate migration I'm September 10 their
Southern winter home.
Something more d bout the pigeons of that
far-off day may not bo rithout interest 10
the present genersticH. As statcd.a they
flew in countless THOUSANDS north in March,
and in anticipation OF their coming certain
few of the farmers 1--WE called them pigeon
ersl got ready on the highest hills with
their nets-an affair of by y feet with
attachments-and other requisites namely,
g. pigeon bed, baited with wheat: bough-
house at convenient distance, a trap ar
rangement for springtng the net and a
''lyer," with long line attached to his
feet-a stool pigeon near the bed.
The net being set and blinded by dry
leaves, the watch for flock begar. Upon
it's approach up went the flyer" to be seen
by the flock, upon which they took turn
or two above; the stool pigeon, eyes band
agea, was ''hovered" by string to the
boughhouse, the hungry flock struck the
bed and proceeded TO devour the wheat
sealed by the springing of the net. The
boys rushed out and the work Of death
proceeded. This done, the watch for the
next flock began. Often hundreds were
caught, strung in dozens and the neighbofs
supplied at 30 cents a bunch. Such was an
incident in the life and death of the van
ished pigeon.
Once more, where have they gone: the
idea of their sudden determination not be-
ing reasonable? Then. again. where was
their southern home in that long ago? The
history of our Southern States is silent
as TO the vast numbers that wintered South
somewhere. T. u
BInffteu, $. -, MAJ 81, 1910