The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1930-07-04

the band-tailed pigeon from the West.
The determination of the passenger
pigeon was accomplished even more
swiftly than that of the heath hen.
The state of Michigan was their prin-
cipal nesting grounds and their rock
cries in the northern part of that
state covered dozens of square miles
with as many as a hundred nests,
each occupied by one or two squads,
in single tree. The farmers con-
sidered them pest and the slaughter
of the birds which began in the six
ties reached its high tide in the sew
enties, when the commercial POSSIBLE
tiles of the birds were realized.
No one took steps to regulate the
slaughter, for the supply was con.
sidered unlimited. No matter how
many thousands or even millions were
killed, the enormous flocks still
streamed out of the South in April
They still darkened the sun-broke
the branches from trees by their
weight. Their rookeries still filled
the woods. Then shortly after 1880
the pigeons suddenly disappeared:
Pigeons were observed near Cadil-
lac in 1888, but disappeared month
after their arrival. They were traced
nOrthward as far as Oden, Emmett
county, and are presumed to have
crossed the straits of Mackinaw into
the Upper Peninsula or Ontario. Aft
er 1888 no large flocks were seen any.
where, and the appearance of single
bird was considered worthy of men.
ton in scientific journals.
Another American bird which is
now eXtinct-and has been for near,
ly> a hundred years-is the great aux
1t was different from any other Amer
lean bird, in that it could not fly,
although it had great powers of swim
ming and diving. It's native habitat
was the coast and islands of the
North Atlantic and from the first ar
rival of white men on the shores OF
the New World they preyed upon
these birds, seeking out their eggs
for food and killing the birds for
their feathers. The slaughter of the
defenSeleSS birds went on for more
than two centuries when it was sud
denly discovered that the great aux
was all but eXterminated. The last
specimens, male and a5female, were
killed on Fire Island off the south
western coast of Iceland in the North
Atlantic on June 8, 1874. by the crew
of slOOp which visited the island
for cargo of meat and feathers of
other seafowl which inhabited the
place. Today either mounted speci-
mems or eggs of the great aux com.
mand huge sums whenever, which is
a rare occurrence, they are offered for
sale. 1t is estimated that there are
about 20 eggs in existence today while
the number of skins or mounted spe-
cimens does not exceed eighty.
The great aux and the passenger
/ pigeon are extinct. The heath hen is
nearing extinction. And not far be-
hind it on the road to oblivion, in
spite of all the efforts that have been
made to preserve them, are other spe-
cies. Notable among these are the
majestic trumpeter swan, which is to-
day a rarity even in ZOOS, and the
snowy egret, which is all but extinct
because its dorsal plumage in the
breeding season furnishes the much
sought aigrette for the ornamentation
of women'S hats. And so widespread
has been the destruction of our ma.
tional bird, the bald eagle, that only
recently bill was introduced into
congress forbidding the killing of an
eagle, except when it is caught attack
ing live stock, in an effort to save it
from the fate which has already over
taken some of our birds and is threat.
ening so paany 0therx