128 THE PASSENGER PIGEON IN PENNSYLVANIA 



Editorial Comments 



Within the memory of men still living, countless 

 millions of wild pigeons passed over Pennsylvania in 

 their migratory tiights. Old residents can recall the 

 time when from horizon to horizon flying birds were 

 seen in flocks so large and so compact as to obscure, the 

 sun. Fifty years ago wild pigeons were still common 

 game birds, and thousands of them could be observed 

 in their seasonal flights, but today it is admitted that 

 the last passenger pigeon in the world, so far as is 

 known, died in the Cincinnati Zoo during the fall 

 of 1914. 



Large rewards were ofl:"ered for a mate for the last 

 wild pigeon in the hope that the species might be 

 saved from total extermination. But not one could 

 be found. And in order that the bird might be proper- 

 ly mounted upon its death, the keeper carefully saved 

 the feathers dropped each year for the taxidermist. 

 So the bird has been preserved — by taxidermy — but 

 the species is now totally extinct. 



Lest sportsmen of the. present day forget the wild 

 pigeon, we deem it proper to quote from a chapter of 

 "The Pioneers,'' James Fenimore Cooper's first pub- 

 lished Leather Stocking Tale, which appeared in print 

 ninety-five years ago. It is a delightful story of 

 fascinating interest to sportsmen. Moreover, it is 

 historically correct as to scenes and circumstances, 

 although some of the characters are undoubtedly ficti- 

 tious. In the person of Leather Stocking, otherwise 



