346 CITIZEN BIBD 



was stretched out straight; but it looks shorter now, 

 because it is set up in a natural position. 



" The life history of this beautiful Pigeon should 

 teach every one the necessity of protecting birds by 

 law. Up to fifty years ago the Passenger Pigeon was 

 extremely plentiful everywhere east of the great plains 

 — there were many millions in a single flock some- 

 times. It was a most valuable bird, its flesh being par- 

 ticularly well-flavored and tender. It nested in large 

 colonies that often stretched unbroken for many miles 

 in the woods, and was both hardy and prolific. If it 

 had been protected in the breeding season and hunted 

 fairly as an article of food at other times, we should 

 still be enjoying Pigeon pie as freely as we did in my 

 boyhood. But as the population of the country in- 

 creased, these great flocks were cruelly slaughtered, for 

 the mere greed of killing them; thousands Avere often 

 left to decay upon the ground, and now I do not be- 

 lieve that any one of you has ever seen a wild Pigeon 

 before to-day." 



'^We have Pigeon pie at home in the winter," said 

 Dodo. 



''Yes, tame Pigeon pie," said the Doctor. 



'^ It miglit have been tame pie and it was very good! 

 But, Uncle Roy, why did people want to kill these 

 good, food birds when they didn't care to eat them ? " 



" It is difficult to say exactly, little girl. People 

 living in what we call a state of nature, like African 

 savages, or as our American Indians once did, seem to 

 follow Heart of Nature's law: ' Kill 07ily what ye need 

 for food.' But many people that are called civilized 

 never think of natural law at all, and having a coarse 



