CHAPTER XVII 

 The Passenger Pigeon in Confinement 



{Ectopistes migratorius) 



From "The Auk," July, 1896. 



IN the American Field of December 5, 1895, I 

 noticed a short note, stating that Mr. David 

 Whittaker of Milwaukee, Wis., had in a spacious 

 inclosure a flock of fifty genuine wild pigeons. Being 

 much interested of late in this bird, I at once wrote to 

 Mr. Whittaker, asking for such information in detail 

 regarding his birds as he could give me, but, owing to 

 absence from the city, he did not reply. Still being 

 anxious to learn something further regarding this in- 

 teresting subject, I recently wrote to a correspondent 

 in Milwaukee, asking him to investigate the matter. In 

 due time I received his reply, stating that he had seen 

 the pigeons, but that the flock consisted of fifteen in- 

 stead of fifty birds, and inviting me to join him and 

 spend a few hours of rare pleasure. 



On March i, 1896, I visited Milwaukee, and made 

 a careful inspection of this beautiful flock. I am 

 greatly indebted to Mr. Whittaker, through whose 

 courtesy we saw and heard so much of value and in- 

 terest, not only in regard to his pet birds, but also about 



