THE PASSENGER PIGEON IN PENNSYLVANIA 59 



thick, it was not possible to count them correctly. 

 To answer the question of what became of them : 

 There were millions of them caught in nets and ship- 

 ped to the large cities. Still there were millions of the 

 birds here again in 1886, which was the last body of 

 them that visited this state. A few small flocks passed 

 through this locality since then. We saw a flock of 

 about 100 birds in September, 1905, and a lone pigeon 

 in 1906. 



"In April of 1886, they returned for the express 

 purpose of nesting. The beechnut crop of 1885 was 

 very large. That was what brought them here. When 

 food was real plentiful they have been known to nest 

 three times in a single season : First, in the latter part 

 of March ; second, in the early part of May ; and third, 

 about June 10. When they came here to nest they 

 were scattered over three or four counties, roosting 

 wherever night overtook them ; but for a night or two 

 before they began building nests, they roosted in one 

 large body. 



"Another sure sign, was the little white strings that 

 came from the front end of the breast and connected 



with the craw the natural feeders that form the 



curds for the young to feed on. These two sure signs 

 were in evidence, in 1886. The fine white strings had 

 been visible for three days, on the second night of the 

 big roosting on the west branch of Pine Creek, in 

 Potter county; when these birds were driven out of 



