THE PASSENGER PIGEON KALM AND AUDUBON. 417 



The great French Admiral Marquis de la Galissoniere, who in 

 deep knowledge of various sciences, but especially in natural history 

 and its advancement, has had or has very few equals, and who at 

 the time of my arrival in Canada occupied the office of Governor 

 General of that country, told me that he had once brought with him 

 several of these pigeons from Canada to France, and that he had 

 allowed them to escape in the French forests. At this time he had 

 again collected a great number of live birds which, in the fall of 1749, 

 he brought with him to France, inclosed in large cages, in order to 

 set them free in the woods upon his safe arrival there, with the 

 intention of introducing this handsome as well as useful American 

 bird into Europe. 



In addition to the authors referred to above, the following learned 

 men have also mentioned something in their writings concerning 

 these pigeons: P. de Charlevoix, Histoire de la Nouvelle France, 

 vol. 5, pp. 251-252; Salmon's Modern History, vol. 3, p. 440; Wil- 

 liams's Key into the Language of America, p. 91. Others whose 

 works I have not had the opportunity of seeing may also have men- 

 tioned something concerning this subject, but they have at least re- 

 lated nothing of any particular value. 



II.— THE PASSENGER PIGEON. 

 By John James Audubon (1831). ! 



The passenger pigeon, or, as it is usually named in America, the 

 wild pigeon, moves with extreme rapidity, propelling itself by quickly 

 repeated flaps of the wings, which it brings more or less near to the 

 body, according to the degree of velocity which is required. Like the 

 domestic pigeon, it often flies, during the love season, in a circling 

 manner, supporting itself with both wings angularly elevated, in which 

 position it keeps them until it is about to alight. Now and then, 

 during these circular flights, the tips of the primary quills of each 

 wing are made to strike against each other, producing a smart rap, 

 which may be heard at a distance of 30 or 40 yards. Before alighting, 

 the wild pigeon, like the Carolina parrot and a few other species of 

 birds, breaks the force of its flight by repeated flappings, as if appre- 

 hensive of receiving injury from coming too suddenly into contact 

 with the branch or the spot of ground on which it intends to settle. 



I have commenced my description of this* species with the above 

 account of its flight, because the most important facts connected with 

 its habits relate to its migrations. These are entirely owing to the 

 necessity of procuring food, and are not performed with the view of 

 escaping the severity of a northern latitude, or of seeking a southern 



1 Ornithological Biography, vol. 1, 1831, pp. 319-327. 

 38734°— sm 1911 27 



