The Green Forest tribune., 1911-03-24

finds with it the nestling
 birds. In order to get the reward the person who makes the dis covery must leave the nest and the birds unmolested and prove the truth of 1t by making report and giving the sci entists an opportunity to verify the case.
 Magazine and newspaper articles lit erally by the thousands have been writ |. ten about the disappearance of the wild pigeons which once, as it is al ways put, "darkened the sun with their flights" The members of the biologi- cal survey in Washington are specially interested in the subject of the disap- pearance of this bird of passage from it's wild haunts. For years it has been hoped that nesting pairs might be found in some part of the country and that w1tf proper protection the bird might be restored in part at least to it's place in nature.
 Recently there was story published to the effect that the birds, weared of the constant persecution which met them in the United States had changed the course of their flight and had gone into Mexico and there were living peace fully and happily. This story proved to be absolutely without foundation. Still another tale was to the effect that the pigeons had gone into the heart of South America and there finding conditions pleasant were leading non-migratory life. This tale also proved to be en- tirely fictitious
 In all parts of the southern states in the winter seasons there are people watching sharp-eyed for a glimpse of the bird that once was common sight In the summer sharp eyes of the north are constantly on the alert for the same purpose, but as yet no authentic report has been received that the bird of mys- terious disappearance has revisited the scenes familiar through the centuries to it's ancestors
 One of the scientists most interested In the search for the wild pigeon is RutnVen Deane, fellow of the American Ornlthologists' 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 tireless today as ever in tracing reports of the birds reappearance to their sources The offer of $400 for the discovery of nesting pair of the pigeons and their undlsturbed nest comes from Clifton R Hodge of Clark university. but S1OO ad d1tional will be paid for the discovery of pair of birds and their nest if fonnd III the state of Illinois. The additional reward IS the joint offer of MT. Deane and, as l remember it, of Professor Whitm. the University of Chicago.
 One of the most curious features of search for the wild pigeon is the mistakes , are made constantly by men who veara trapped the pigeons and were as familiar their appearance as they were. and are TOT that matter, with the appearance of the m rnhi nf
 i'll from all sections of the country of the pearance of the pigeon but on inyestieati invariably has been found that the discoy had seen nothing more nor less than the mon wild dove (venaidura macroura) or m Ing doVe which is so familiar bird tn seems almost impossible that any man of countryside could have failed to overlook ms constant nelghbor and could confuse 1t Its much larger cousin, the passenger pige, other days.
 To give an example of how the search is ducted for the wild pigeon and how conscien are the scientists in attempting to verify re of its reappearance this one instance taken hundred instances, may be noted Recen report from northern Michigan reached the dent of the Illinois Audubon society that passenger pigeon in very truth had reapp, in the vicinity of a club house frequentet fishermen and gunners, many of whom known the pigeon well in the old days and | were certain that in this case they could be mistaken as to the identity of the bird itors
 It was long journey to the northern \ gan club house, but an ornithologist unde 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 tha pigeons were there and he was led out tt them. They proved to be mourning dov bird common in nearly all parts of Mcl and in most of the states of the Union. Th appointment keen, and keener in this Y because this was one report which scene have about it every mark of truth.
 When l was a boy I knew the wild p fairly well. It was nothing like as abul as it had been in the years gone by, but my birthplace in the foothills of the Adiror mountains in central New York. I am sor say that shot some of the birds before I realized the value of giving protection to a fshing race. The mourning dove I know as as l 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. It is possible, though not sure that such is a fact that 1 saw the wild pigeon reported in Illinois. Others have been seen since that time within the ders of the state, but if so I have not seen appearance reported.
 At five o'clock op the morninp oP n late