50 Hodge, The Passenger Pigeon Investigation. [jan. 



The plan is familiar to you all, but one or two points in it require 

 restatement and emphasis. Up to that time rewards were in 

 the field, offered, we may be pardoned for supposing, by good 

 men with a healthy dash of Irish blood in their veins, for a freshly 

 killed pigeon to prove that the species was still alive. I pointed 

 out the "bull" to the effect that even a flock of pigeons, flying 

 rapidly over the country as they do, might be wiped out, each 

 observer taking a single bird. 



The new plan called for discovery and confidential and exclusive 

 notification of undisturbed nesting pairs or colonies. Just on this 

 point the newspapers have not been as careful as they should in 

 stating that the rewards were offered for "nests." In consequence, 

 of course, nests, fortunately of Mourning Doves, began coming 

 to me by express. If the reporter was a bit more careful and said 

 "undisturbed nests," I received notification of "undisturbed nests" 

 deserted, the birds having reared their young and moved on. 



Since the investigation is undertaken solely with the purpose of 

 discovering breeding pigeons in time to secure to them absolute 

 protection, no such claim, however meritorious, could be treated 

 as valid. The newspapers have contributed good service to the 

 cause by disseminating notices, but, with three or four notable 

 exceptions, the service might have been far greater, if their re- 

 porters had been clear-headed enough to have grasped this essential 

 purpose of the investigation. The investigation is in reality 

 "news" for the American continent — "bad news" if no pigeons 

 can be discovered, "good news" if they are found; and I have 

 endeavored to furnish the papers accurate information as to 

 progress of the search. I must, however, bespeak added care in 

 stating the one essential point that all rewards are offered for 

 information of undisturbed nesting pairs or colonics — occupied 

 nestings — of Passenger Pigeons. Not a reward can be paid 

 for anything else. 



I also regret to add that some confusion, delay, and possible 

 annoyance has been caused by many papers failing to state to 

 whom information is to be sent. In this way the editor of 'The 

 Auk,' members of the Smithsonian Institution and Department 

 of Agriculture have been caused additional correspondence. I 

 wish to thank all who have helped thus far and to say that I hope 



