i6o The Passenger Pigeon 



I was on a holiday trip on the Assiniboia River last 

 week, and a pair of birds flew bv me at a few yards' 

 distance, flashing the pigeon color to all appearances 

 in the sun and alighting on the bank. I turned my boat 

 and until after I shot the bird, I would have sworn it 

 was a pigeon, but it proved to be a large, bright 

 plumaged dove. Atmospheric conditions considerably 

 affected the size so that I am convinced that it is possible 

 for even the best of us to be deceived, and a scientific 

 record must not be formed on any supposition. 



Iron Mountain, Mich., 



May 30, 1904. 

 Mr. W. B. Mershon, Saginaw, Mich. 



Dear Sir : — In reply to your letter of inquiry respect- 

 ing the Passenger Pigeon, I will say that my knowledge 

 of it is very hmited except from hearsay, but I am credi- 

 bly informed that it nested at the east end of Deerskin 

 Lake, Sec. 30, N44 W31, as late as 1888. Mr. Arm- 

 strong, a timber cruiser, late a resident of this city, gave 

 me this information. He said there was a small colony 

 of less than a hundred birds then. Fire has since de- 

 stroyed the timber there and he doubted if they were 

 still there when he told me about them. Mr. A. was a 

 keen observer and thoroughly reliable; had been famil- 

 iar with the species when abundant in lower Michigan, 

 and I have great confidence in the accuracy of his re- 

 ports. I used to see them as late as 1883 in this 



