The Coalville times. [volume] (Coalville, Utah) 1894-1923, 1911-03-31

finds with It the nesting
birds In order TO get tho
reward the person who makes the dis.
covery must leave the nest aud tho
birds unmolcstcd and prove the truth Of
II by making a report and giving the sci
entists an opportunity to verify the case. :
Magazine and newspaper articles lit -,
orally by the thousands have been writ ~,
ten about tho disappearance Of the
Wild pigeons which once, AZ Il IL al
ways put "darkoned tho sun with their
flights" The members OF the boogi.
cal survey In Washington are specially
interested In the subject OF the disap
pearunco OF this bird Of passage from
It's wild haunts. For years II has been
hoped that nesting pairs might be found
In some part Of the country and that
with proper protection the bird might
be restored in part at least to It's place
in nature.
Recently there was story published
10 tho effect that the birds. woarcd of
the constant persecution which met
them IN tho United States. had changed
the course OF their flight aud had gone
into Mexico and there we're living peace.
fully and happily This story proved TO
be absolutely without foundation. Still
another tale to the effect that the
pigeons hai s..o into the heart or South
America al ere finding conditions
pleasant were leading nonImlgratory
life This tale also proved TO be On.
trcly fictitious.
In all parts Of the southern states In
the winter seasons there are people
watching sharp.cycd for glimpse OF
the bird that once was a common sight
In the summer sharp eyes Of the north
are constantly on the alert for the same
purpose. but ug yet no authentic report
has been received that the bird OF mys.
tcrious disappearance has revisited tho
scenes familiar through the centuries to
it's ancestors.
one OF tho scientists most Interested
I'm 'ho search for the wild pigeon IL
Runvon Dcane fellow OF the American
ornithologlsts' union and president OF
the Illinois Audubon Society for the
Protection Of Wild Birds Mr.. Deane =
virtually has given up all hope that any
living specimen OF the passenger pigeon
ever will be found. but he is as tlreless
today as ever In tracing reports OF tho
BIRDS renppearanco to their sources.
The offer OF $500 for the discovery OF
nesting pair OF tho pigeons and their
undisturbed nest comes from Clifton Il.
Hodge OF Clark university but 500 ad.
dltional viii be paid for the discovery
OF pair OF birds and their nest II found
In tho state OF Illinois. The additional
reward is the jolnr offer OF Mr.. Deano
and. as | remember H. OF Professor Whitman
the University OF Chicago
One OF the most curious features OF
search for the Wild pigeon is the mistakes W
are made constantly by men who years
trapped the pigeons and were as familiar
their appearance as they WERE and arc I,
for that natter with the appearance of the
mon robin of the dooryard. Reports have q
In from all sections OF the country OF tho !
pcaranco Of the pigeon. but on investigate
invariably has been found that the dlscovC
had seen nothing more nor less than the
mon wild dove Cyenaidura macroural. or nc
ing dove which Ia so familiar n bird thu
seems almost impossible that any man OF
countryside could have failed TO overlook
his constant ncighbor and could confuse II
its much larger cousin. the passenger pgeo
other days.
To give an example OF how the search ls
Quoted for the wild pigeon and how conscen
are the scientists In attempting TO verify rel
Of its temperance this one instance taken
hundred Instances, may be noted. Recent
report from northern Michigan reached the I
dent Of the Illinois Audubon society that
passenger pigeon IN very truth had rcappC
In the vicinity Of a club house frequcnted
fishermen and gunnors. many OF whom
known the pigeon well In the old days and
were certain that In this case they could
itors.
II was long journey to the northern N
gan club house. but an Ornithologist under
the trip believing In his heart that finally
passenger pigeon had been found, for he
that the men who had made the report had
familiar with the bird In the old days and
posedly knew the appearance OF It's every fea
At the end OF the journey he was told thai
pigeons were there and he was led out "a
them. They proved TO be mourning dove
bird common in nearly all parts OF Micl
and In most OF the states Of the Union. The
appointment was Keen and keener IN this
because this was one report which SCENE
have about II every mark Of truth
When was a boy knew the wild pi
fairly well II was nothing like as abur
as II had been in the years gone by, but
slonally small focks were seen In the vicini
my birthplace In tho foothills OF the Adiron
mountains In central New York. am sori
say that shot some OF the birds before
realized the value OF giving protection TO n
fishing race. The mourning dove ! know as
as know the English sparrow. and think
there Is no chance Of confusion In my min
specting the Identity OF the dove and it's b
relative, the pigeon. II Is possible though
not sure that such Il a fact, that ] saw the
Wild pigeon reported in Illinois. Others
have been seen since that time within the
ders OF the state, but II so have not seen
appearance reported.
At Ave O'Clock on the morning OF a late
Gay, fifteen years ago. went into Lincoln