242 MICHIGAN BIRD LIFE. 



fed mostly during the forenoon and the males early in the morning and 

 again late in the afternoon. According to one observer " the sitting bird 

 does not leave the nest until the bill of its incoming mate nearly touches 

 its tail, the former slipping off as the latter takes its place." The males 

 all returned from feeding at about the same time and the females went off 

 to feed as soon as they were relieved from the duties of incubation. Thus 

 there were two periods of great activity about the nesting place, one between 

 nine and ten in the morning and the other between two and three in the 

 afternoon. Of course there was also a general return of all the males just 

 at nightfall and a similar general departure in the early morning when these 

 birds went out again to feed. It is stated by many writers that the male 

 bird fed the female while on the nest, and this seems not improbable, as 

 they were frequently seen putting their bills into each others mouths much 

 in the manner in which they feed the young. As with most other species 

 of pigeons the young were fed entirely by disgorging the contents of the 

 crop, the food having been softened for a time in the crop of the parent 

 before the young were fed. 



The food during a large part of the year was almost entirely of a vegetable 

 nature, consisting principally of acorns, beech nuts, corn, wheat, rye, 

 oats, buckwheat and the seeds of various wild grasses and weeds. But 

 during the nesting season, and probably to a considerable extent at other 

 times, the Pigeon fed largely upon animal substances, and particularly, 

 if we can credit numerous observers, upon angleworms and various grubs 

 and soft-bodied insects which are to be found in moist places. A few 

 writers state that the Pigeon was fond of roots or tubers of various kinds, 

 and that it scratched and dug for these with great energy, frequenting for 

 this purpose the softer grounds about the edges of swamps and marshes. 

 It seems likely, however, that a large part of the food obtained under such 

 conditions was the animal food already alluded to. 



Pigeons are said to have been remarkably fond of salt, or rather of the 

 mud which is impregnated with the saline matter from salt springs. In 

 every region where Pigeons have been netted or trapped in any way use 

 seems to have been made of this fact, and so-called "salt beds" have been 

 prepared for the purpose of attracting them. The method varied with 

 different trappers, and the particular formula used was often guarded as 

 a secret of great importance. The process, however, always involved 

 the clearing of a patch of soft rich ground from all grass, weeds and brush, 

 and this was thoroughly moistened with brine, and frequently grain of 

 various kinds was scattered upon it and rolled or tramped in. after which 

 a second treatment with salt, or in some cases with saltpeter or sulphur, 

 was given; in other cases anise seed or anise seed oil was spread upon the bed. 

 In this way Pigeons were baited in large numbers, and after they had become 

 accustomed to the spot a net was so arranged that it could be sprung over 

 the bed and a large number of Pigeons captured at once. 



In other cases neither salt nor anise was used in order to attract the 

 birds, but merely wheat, corn, or other grain. One Pennsylvania netter, 

 with whom the writer talked, stated that after the young were hatched 

 the old birds refused to eat grain and he secured several thousand Pigeons 

 by baiting them with angleworms which he dug for the purjDOse in large 

 quantities. 



Pigeon netting was a recognized trade or pursuit in the early history 

 of the country and thousands of persons engaged in it whenever the con- 

 ditions were favorable. Aside from the baiting already described "stool 



