"The nesting area, situated near Petoskey, covered something like 100,000 

 acres of land, and included not less than 150,000 acres within its limits, being in 

 length about forty miles by three to ten in width. 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 ; an equal number was sent by water. We have," says the 

 writer, "adding the thousands of dead and wounded ones not secured, and the 

 myriads of squabs left dead in the nest, at the lowest possible estimate, a grand 

 total of 1,000,000,000 pigeons sacrificed to Mammon during the nesting of 

 1878." 



Even if the last estimate were a hundred times too large (as I believe it to 

 be) it is evident that such wholesale slaughter could not go on forever. The 

 extraordinary flights suddenly ceased during the eighties. Since that time what 

 has become of the Passenger Pigeon? has been the puzzling question. There 

 are those who believe that great roosts are now maintained in the northwest, 

 beyond the reach of communication. Others fancy they may have abandoned 

 the migrating habit and taken to staying in Central and South America. Others 

 still believe that they have rather abandoned the gregarious habit, and are to 

 be found only in isolated pairs or small groups well distributed throughout the 

 north. It is known that the birds do breed by single pairs, to some extent at 

 least; but it is altogether probable that the Passenger Pigeons are gone irre- 

 trievably after the manner of the Bison — lost in the maw of human greed. 



The California Jay (Apkelocoma caUfomica) 



Length: 12 inches. Distinguished from other jays within its range by its 

 decidedly whitish underparts and brown patch on the back. 



Range : Resident in California, north to southern Washington, and south 

 to southern Lower California. 



Habits and economic status : This jay has the same general traits of char- 

 acter as the eastern blue jay. He is the same noisy, rollicking fellow, and 

 occupies a corresponding position in bird society. Robbing the nests of smaller 

 birds is a favorite pastime, and he is a persistent spy upon domestic fowls and 

 well knows the meaning of the cackle of a hen. Not only does he steal eggs, 

 but he kills young chicks. The insect food of this jay constitutes about one- 

 tenth of its annual sustenance. The inclusion of grasshoppers and caterpillars 

 makes this part of the bird's food in its favor. But the remainder of its animal 

 diet includes altogether too large a proportion of beneficial birds and their eggs, 

 and in this respect it appears to be worse than its eastern relative, the blue jay. 

 While its vegetable food is composed largely of mast, at times its liking for 

 cultivated fruit and grain makes it a most unwelcome visitor to the orchard and 

 farm. In conclusion, it may be said that over much of its range this iay is 

 too abundant for the best interests of agriculture and horticulture. 



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