The Pigeon in Manitoba 199 



to handle in Manitoba was killed at Winnipegosis on 

 April 10, 1896, and sent me to be mounted." 



Since that time I have expended much effort in fol- 

 lowing up rumors of the bird's presence in various dis- 

 tricts with a view of locating a breeding pair. Not 

 only have I sought to secure a bird to mount, but also 

 to get a live pair, or the eggs while fresh, to assist in 

 the preservation of the pigeon in a partially domesti- 

 cated state, since the only specimens nov/ living in cap- 

 tivity are those owned by Prof. Whitman of the Uni- 

 versity of Chicago, who, in writing me, says: "My^ 

 stock seems to have come to a complete standstill, hav- 

 ing raised no young for the last four years. The weak- 

 ness is due to long inbreeding, as my birds are from a 

 single pair captured about twenty-five years agO' in 

 Wisconsin. I have long tried to secure new stock, but 

 have been unsuccessful. A single pair would enable me 

 to save them, for they breed well in confinement. 



"I have crossed them with ring doves, and still have 

 three hybrids, but as these are infertile there is no hope 

 of even preserving these half-breeds alive. Of all the 

 wild pigeons in the world the Passenger Pigeon is my 

 favorite. No other pigeon combines so many fine quali- 

 ties in form, color, strength and perfection of wing 

 power." 



I am enabled through the kindness of Prof. Whit- 

 man to exhibit a photograph of one of his younger birds, 

 taken in his aviary at Chicago. 



