33



the familiar song-note, “ Cuckoo, cuckoo ! ” It may be added that the

bird dealer had no other Cuckoo in his shop.


A specimen of the Great Auk’s egg, the last of four belonging to the

late Baron d’Hamonville, was offered for sale at Stevens’ Auction Rooms

on October 29th last. The bidding commenced at 100 guineas, and the egg

was eventuallv knocked down for 240 guineas. Of the other three, two

were sold for 300 guineas each, and one for 170 guineas; so that the four

eggs have realised ^1,060 10s.



CORRESPONDENCE.



THE PASSENGER PIGEON.


Sir, —I enclose a cutting from the “ Globe ” of 23rd October

last regarding the strange and sudden disappearance of the Passenger

Pigeon (Eclopistes migmtorius) which but a few lyears ago, I believe, was

found in countless thousands in the United States. The article has a

melancholy interest for naturalists, for it would seem to shew that this fine

species must be added to the list of those that have been.


Can you tell us in the “ Avicultural Magazine” whether this is indeed

the case or whether there is any hope that the bird still exists and perhaps

stands a chance of becoming plentiful again, for it seems so difficult to find

a reason for its complete disappearance in so short a time.


H. C. Martin.


[We are much obliged for the cutting, which we regret being unable,

on account of limited space, to print here. Whether the Passenger Pigeon

is actually extinct or not we are unable to sav, but we strongly doubt the

fact. There is, however, no question as to the rapid decrease that has taken

place in recent years in the numbers of this species.


The last nesting of any importance seems to have been in the year

18S1, and, according to Lydekker's Natural History , “in 1886, Mr.

Stevens found about fifty dozen pairs nesting in a swamp near Take

City.” As late as 1895, the year in which the above work was published,

this Pigeon was “by no means on the verge of extinction,” but its

extermination was regarded as “ only a matter of time.”


The best account of this remarkable species, that we have been able

to lay hands on, is that by Wilson, quoted in Selby’s volume of the old

“ Jardine’s Naturalists Library,” and the subject is of such interest that we

may perhaps be pardoned for quoting at some length. Writing of one of

the remarkable breeding places of this bird, he remarks;—“Not far from

Shelbyville, in the State of Kentucky, . . . there was one of these


breeding places, which stretched through the woods in nearly a North and

South direction, was several miles in breadth, and was said to be upwards of

forty miles in extent ! In this tract almost every tree was furnished with

nests wherever the branches could accommodate them. The Pigeons made

their first appearance there about the iotli of April, and left it altogether

with their young before the 25th of May. As soon as the young were fully

grown, and before they left the nests, numerous parties of the inhabitants,

from all parts of the adjacent country, came with waggons, asses, beds,



