Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1911-11-08


oRr william Dutchsr. chairman protectior
~ Committee Of the American ornithologists
Union.l
Alexander Wilson, the ssFather OF Amer
,,su ornithology," estimated that flock
a,vild pigeons seen BY him near Frank.
,ort. Kentucky, about 1903, contained al
last 2,23o, III, 900 individuals. Audubon
rites that in 1905 he saw schooncrs At the
~hsryes in New York city loaded in bulk
With wild pigeons, caught mp the Hudson
river, which were sold at one cent each.
The late George n. Lawrence tells OF the
great flights OF pigeons that annually
r.ssed over New York city ~ late a. 1850.
Ne SAYS: 1--WE could see fiocks consisting
a from twenty-five to over hundred
pieeons come sweeping down over the
tree tops, seemingly ct speed Of seventy
Aye miles an houF. The hocks followed
sach other in quick succession. On the
urssent site OF General Grants tomb was
an old country-ssat known a. 'Clarsmont.
From the top Of this house, during one Of
these great flights Of pigeons, the owner
killed hundred or moro In one morning. -
The writer, during the past forty years,
has studied the birds Of the vicinity OF
New York, and In al that period has seen
only one live wild pigeon. The writer's
isther, who lived ct Tarrytown, N. Y, in
his boyhood, has often told Of the enor-
nous focks OF pigeons he saw there, 90
great that in passing overhead the sun
was darkened ~ by rain-cloud and the
noise OF their wings was like thunder.
To-day the wild pigeon is so rare that
the observation Of single individual 10
considered noteworthy. The species con-
tinued abundant until about 1850, when,
% result Of increasing slaughter for food,
II began rapidly to diminish in numbers,
and no large flock has been recorded since
1855. Frank NJ. Chapman tells me that as
late as July, 1881, he saw wild pigeons used
in large numbers at trap shooting tourna-
ment held near New York city. The birds
had been netted in the West and were
often SO helpless from their confinement
in foul cages that they were unable to fly.
william Brewster writes that in 1876 or
1877 there was . pigeon-nesting near
Petosky, Mich, which was twenty-eight
miles long and averaged four miles in
width. The disappearance Of so abundant
q creature in so comparatively short time
is surprising illustration OF mans power
In the animal world when, for any reason,
his forces are directed toward a certain
end.
Wild pigeons lived in hocks at all sea-
sons, nesting. roosting and feeding in
enormous bodies. Wilson mentions a
nesting colony which was several miles in
breadth and upwards Of forty miles in ex-
tent. The birds chose preferably beech
woods, and a. many ~ ninety nests have
been counted in single tree. The flock
previously mentioned, estimated to con-
tain over two billion individuals, stretched
from horizon to horizon, as far as the eye
could reach in every direction, and was
four hours in passing given point.
At all seasons, whether migrating,
roosting or nesting, pigeons were subject
to attack by man. Their migrations were
governed largely by the food supply,
scorns and beech nuts constituting their
chief fare, and when they appeared at g
certain place their destruction became the
object Of the day. Many were shot, but
by far the larger mum Der were netted with
the aid OF live dscoys. Wilson tells OF
thirty dozen birds being captured at one
spring Of the net. Audubon states that he
knew man who, in Pennsylvania, netted
500 dozen pigeons in one day.
When roosting, pigeons were attacked
by men armed with guns, poles, clubs,
and even pots OF sulphur, and wagon-ioads
Of birds were killed nightly. Similar
methods OF cestruction were employed
wha, -. go. .,;n. this sa.-
"nsn 'he oAus ~ole n'''k. 80
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sn sne~ "nen .ne 1919 :. -. 49,.
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