192 
PIGEONS AND DOVES—Order Columbe 
Family Columbide 
PASSENGER PIGEON 
315. Ectopistes migratorius. 16 in. 
Head and back bluish-slate; below, rich rusty brown. 
Only a few years ago, up to 1880, they were extremely 
abundant in eastern North America, Seemingly incred- 
ible stories are told of the immense flocks and roosting 
places of these birds, and most of them are authentic. 
It is unfortunate that the camera was not extensively 
used then, so we have no visual records of them. A 
nesting place in Michigan is described as 28 miles in 
length by about four in width, and every tree in the 
woods, throughout this whole tract, had several nests, 
and some were filled with them. Flocks darkening the 
sky and covering several square miles are recorded. 
And, today, but one or two stragglers are reported in 
a year, and these are usually doubtful. They were 
shot and netted at their roosting and nesting places, 
_ barreled up and sent to market for sale, this continuing 
so long as there were birds enough to make it profit: 
able, and we reap the result—no birds. 
