Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1911-02-02
PIGEON IS EXTINCT
So Declares Game Commissioner
of Pennsylvania.
Or. kaibfus Asserts That Those Who
Claim to Have Seen Wild Birds
Are Merely Careless OBJ
servers.

Harrisburg, Pa.-To the ever recur-
rent question. Are there any wild
pigeons In Pennsylvania? Chief Game
Protector Joseph Kalbfus once more
answers an emphatic no"
DR.. Kalbfus has been investigating
this subject on his own hook, and In
cooperation with other seekers after
wild pigeon. or passenger pigeon, is
extinct. not only in Pennsylvania. but
throughout the world, Notwithstanding
reports to the contrary.
The cause for the disappearance of
this bird, which existed in fiocks of
millions a generation ago, can only be
conjectured, but 1t seems that other
causes beside wanton destruction by
man are found DR.. Kalbfus sums up
the general situation in a letter on
the subject, which he wrote to a group
OF local sportsmen who asked him for
information on the subject He wrote:
so many inquiries are coming to
me regarding the presence of wild
pigeons In the United States that
think II best TO write you this short
letter explanatory of our understand
ing of this matter. For some years
past certain individuals have been at
tempting to collect data that would
prove the presence Of the wild pigeon
somewhere in the United States or in
the world.
In the Forest and Stream Issue of
September will be found an article
by c. f. Hodge, who is connected with
the Clark university. Worcester, Mass,
who has been for some years past
investigating this matter This gen
tleman writes that he has received sew
eral hundred communications relative
TO this matter, but that up to this
time he has failed to prove the pres
ence OF a passenger pigeon anywhere
In the United States.
Many people write him that they
are certain of their Identification, that
| they know what wild pigeons are and
| are sure the birds are passenger pig
cons. Investigation has invariably
proved them to be turtle doves or the
band tail pigeon, or some bird other
than our passenger pigeon. Mr. Hodge
says in concluding his article that
while his investigation is not encour-
aging, 1t does not prove beyond the
question of a doubt that passenger
pigeons may not yet be found and he
proposes to continue his investigation
for another year. This, 1t seems to
me, covers the ground absolutely. no
difference what reports may be
printed in the newspapers; no single
instance of the existence in the United
States of the presence of the wild pig
con has been proved.
Many reasons for the disappearance
of the pigeon have been made; the one
that seems to be the most plausible
to me is that during the time when
these birds were everywhere, there
was horde Of predatory birds and
animals living upon them, following
them up and down in their passage
through the country. For some rea
son during the year 1879 vast numbers
Of these birds were destroyed either
by geese or by being blown to sea
In the Pacific. sailors reporting that
they sailed for many hours through
floating dead pigeons This, 1t seems
to me, depleted the supply to such an
extent that those remaining were not
able to withstand the attacks of their
many enemies and gradually fell q
prey to those enemies until they be
came extinct"