®1|0 Journal 



of tljj 



Mmnt O^rmtlinlogtral i'ort^tg 



Published by the Society on the first of March, June, September and December 

 Vol. XII MARCH, 1910 No. 1 



The Last of the Passenger Pigeons Breeding at 

 North Bridgton, Maine. 



By J. C. Mead. 



When the Wild or Passenger Pigeons were making their last 

 stand in Maine, it was my good fortune to have a flock of eight or 

 ten pass the season of 1877 in a pine grove close by my home. At 

 that time, although they were becoming scarce with us, millions 

 were breeding in Michigan, and the commonly accepted explanation 

 of their diminished numbers in the eastern States was that the 

 wheat fields of the West had tolled them away. Could I have 

 realized that twenty-five years would have seen the practical 

 extinction of this species I venture to say that my note-book would 

 have furnished me more information regarding this particular flock 

 than it does. 



Under April 24lh, I find the first mention of them included 

 in the following: "Returning to North Bridgton to-day, after 

 an absence of two weeks, I find the following birds common : 

 Loons, Wild Pigeons, Red-winged Blackbirds, Golden-winged 

 Woodpeckers, Chipping Sparrows and Hermit Thrushes." This 

 meager note brings back to me, with the distinctness of yesterday, 

 the tall brown boles of the stately pines and the sharp rustle of 



