THE PASSENGER PIGEON IN PENNSYLVANIA 213 



tion and fine plumage, and we have great hopes of 

 keeping it for a good many years to come. 

 Very truly yours, 



S. A. STEPHAN 



P. S. — The bird is one remaining out of a flock 

 of Passenger Pigeons that were secured by the Zoo 

 in 1876. 



Letter from James Y. Bennett, famous pigeoneer : 

 "Dear Col. Shoemaker": 



''In the spring of 1863, I was living with my uncle 

 on his farm in Blooming Grove, near Ball's Mills, in 

 Lycoming County. We would always get ready for the 

 spring flight of the wild pigeon, just the same as we 

 would get ready to plant our crops, and just as sure 

 as there was a good crop of beach nuts, we could ex- 

 pect a heavy flight of pigeons coming or going north 

 as they usually roosted on the headwaters of Pleasant 

 Stream on a branch called Pigeon Roost Run. 



In the spring of 1867, I was helping my uncle get 

 out timber for a new bank bam. The pigeons started 

 to fly in heavy flight directly from the south and as 

 I remember that stopped the barn building for a time. 



I continued following the wild pigeon from year 

 to year until the fall of 1877, when on September 15, 

 I started for the Indian Territory, or rather expected 

 to find the birds some where in Arkansas. I started 

 in pursuit of the birds from Verona, Mo., in a covered 

 wagon with two horses, going from one vallev to an- 



