Vol. XXVII 



1910 J A. H. Wright, Early Records of the Passenger Pigeon. 435 



called in question. Towards evening they generally settle upon 

 trees, and sit one upon another in such crowds, as sometimes to 

 break down the largest branches. The inhabitants at such times, 

 go out with long poles, and knock numbers of them on the head 

 upon the roost; for they are either so fatigued by their flight, or 

 terrified by the obscurity of the night, that they will not move, 

 or take wing, without some great and uncommon noise to alarm 

 them. I met with scarcely any other food at the ordinaries where 

 I put up: and during their flight, the common people subsist 

 almost wholly upon them." 



About two years later (May, 1762), Alexander Henry on a trip 

 from Michilimackinac to Sault de Sainte-Marie found ' " Pigeons 

 were in great plenty." 



In the period from 1763 to 1795 occur three short notes. In 



1766, William Stork gives us "An Account of East Florida, etc. 

 London, 1766," but abstains from giving any data or stories about 

 the pigeon because (p. 51), "The wild pigeons, for three months 

 in the Year, are in such Plenty here, that an account of them would 

 seem incredible." In 1778, J. Carver, London, wrote his "Travels 

 through the Interior Parts of North America in the years 1766, 



1767, and 1768," and 1802, Anthony Haswell, Bennington, Vt., 

 published the " Memoirs and Adventures of Capt. Matthew Phelps, 

 1773-1780." Both (the first on p. 466, the second, Appendix, p. 

 55) merely mention the pigeons as among the birds recorded on 

 their respective trips. 



At the very last of the eighteenth century Isaac Weld, Junior, 

 spent the years 1795, 1796 and 1797 in travels in North America. 

 While on a trip from Montreal to Kingston in the month of Sep- 

 tember, he remarks ^ that " As we passed along, we had excellent 

 diversion in shooting pigeons, several large flights of which we met 

 with in the woods. The wild pigeons of Canada are not unlike 

 the common English wood pigeons, except that they are of a much 

 smaller size; their flesh is very well flavored. During particular 



1 Henry, Alexander. Travels and Adventures in Canada and the Indian Terri- 

 tories Between the Years 1700 and 1776. New ed., by Jame.s Bain. Boston, 

 1901, p. 63. 



2 Weld, Isaac, Junior. Travels through the States of North America, etc. 

 During the years 1795, 1796, 1797. London, 1799. 2d edition. Vol. II, pp. 

 42, 43, 44. 



