Jan., 1909. Birds of Illinois and Wisconsin — Cory. 445 



coverts with numerous black spots; sides of neck with metalHc reflec- 

 tions of gold and violet; throat and breast, pale purplish chestnut, 

 shading into white on the lower belly; sides of body, grayish slate 

 color; primaries, blackish, edged with brownish white; two middle 

 tail feathers, dusky, the rest shading from bluish gray to white at the 

 tips, but marked with more or less chestnut and dusky at the extreme 

 bases; bill, black; feet, red; skin about the eye, red. 



Adult female: Somewhat smaller, the metallic reflections on the 

 neck, paler, and the forehead and breast tinged with grayish brown. 



Immature birds have the primaries marked with rufous brown. 



Length, 16 to 18; wing, 8 to 8.60; bill, .75; tarsus'^!. 



The size and bluish gray rump will always distinguish this species 

 from the Mourning Dove. 



As late as the year 1882, Wild Pigeons were very abundant in 

 Illinois and Wisconsin; but about that time their numbers began to 

 decrease very rapidly. Besides the thousands which were shot, 

 immense numbers were caught in nets on their breeding grounds, with 

 the result that in 1895 it had become a rare bird. At the present 

 time the species is practically extinct. 



To appreciate the slaughter of these birds in early days, I quote a 

 statement by Prof. H. B. Roney (Chicago Field, Vol. X, p. 345) : 

 "The number of dead birds sent by rail was estimated at 12,500 daily 

 or 1,500,000 for the summer, besides 80,352 live birds and an equal 

 number was sent by water." 



Kumlienand Hollister (Birds of Wisconsin, p. 59) say: "Mr. J. M. 

 Blackford, now residing at Delavan, states that the last large catch of 

 the netters was in 1882. The following spring but one hundred and 

 thirty-eight dozen were taken in the best pigeon grounds in the state, 

 and this was practically the end." 



Mr. Ruthven Deane (Auk, 1898, p. 184) states that Mr. A. Fugle- 

 berg, of Oshkosh, Wisconsin, observed a number of flocks of Wild 

 Pigeons near Lake Winnebago, Wisconsin, on August 16, 1897. He 

 estimated that six or more flocks contained from 35 to 80 pigeons 

 each. He also records a flock of from 75 to 100 birds observed by 

 Mr. W. F. Rightmire near Cook, Johnson Co., Nebraska, on August 17, 

 1897.* 



Mr. John F. Ferry informs me that Mr. F. C. Farwell killed a Wild 

 Pigeon and observed two others near the Desplaines River in Lake Co., 



♦Those who desire further information regarding the history and destruction of this species 

 are referred to Mr. Ruthven Deane's valuable papers in The Auk, Vol. Xll, 1895, p. 298, and 

 Vol. XV, 1898, p. 184; also to one by Mr. William Brewster, The Auk, Vol. VI, 1889, pp. 285- 

 291, entitled " The present status of the Wild Pigeon {Ectopistes migratorius) as a bird of the 

 United States, with some notes on its habits." 



