BIRDS OF NEW YORK 383 



shoots. About II o'clock in the forenoon all the hens left their nests to 

 feed, and about 3 o'clock in the afternoon another flight, consisting entirely 

 of red-breasted cocks, occurred. Just before the laying, the birds fed 

 largely along the banks of streams and on the river flats, searching eagerly 

 for earthworms and other "green food," when many were taken by 

 netters and shipped from Olean to New York city b\- the carload. 

 Great numbers of wagonloads were frequently seen coming into Olean. 

 The w^hole tribe of Indians from the Cattaraugus Reservation moved to 

 the nesting ground and remained for two weeks to capture pigeons. Pro- 

 fessional netters who followed the pigeon nestings also captured them by 

 tens of thousands. Their method of procedure was to construct a bow 

 house near some favorable spot in the valle}' and set a large net with spring 

 poles so as to cover a wide spot or "bed" on which the bait was scattered, 

 then stool pigeons with their eves sewed together were tied in such a posi- 

 ti(.)n that thev would keep up a fluttering, or could be made to flutter by 

 the pulling of a string which worked the stool. Then flyers were tethered 

 and when a flock appeared they were cast up and drawn back again b}" the 

 strings to attract the approaching flocks to the net. In this manner many 

 barrelfuls were captured in a short time. The}' also invaded the roosts 

 and knocked the squabs oft" the nests, felling trees so as to shake down 

 hundreds together. In preparing them for shipment their crops were torn 

 out to prevent the breast meat from souring, they were then packed in 

 barrels and hurried to the city. Pigeons continued to nest in this general 

 locality until 1872, but no nesting of any considerable size occurred sub- 

 sequent to 1875 when they bred in McKean county, Pa. 



In 1875 there was an immense roost at Coopers, Steuben county and 

 on May 5th the birds seemed about to nest [Forest and Stream. 4-204]. but 

 I have been unable to find evidence that a nesting actually occurred there 

 at that time; although the time of year would indicate its probability. Dr 

 C. Hart Merriam writing in 1881, in regard to the wild pigeon in the Adiron- 

 dack region, says: 



It breeds pleiuifulh- some years and others is not found at 

 all. Earh- in June 1878 Dr C. L. Bagg and I found several of their 

 nests m the vicinity of Moose river and about Fourth lake of Fulton 

 chain, in Herkimer county. In one was a young bird almost ready to fly, 



