°'i9ii J General Notes. 261 



thing, instead, might be done with reasonable success, to restock with 

 some of the old friends so numerous here in the early days. 



Such a movement would have the hearty cooperation of every reputable 

 citizen of this portion of the country, as does every effort on the part of 

 the Government to protect our remaining game. — Thos. J. George, 

 Gunn City, Mo. 



Passenger Pigeons in Eastern Iowa, in 1856-1860. — My father, 

 Gustavus Allbee, moved with his family from Rockingham, Vermont, to 

 Davenport, Iowa, reaching the latter place December 6, 1855. We lived 

 in Davenport during the winter, moved to a farm 14 miles from there in 

 March, 1856, and to another farm near by, upon which I now reside, in 

 March, 1857; and although but a mere boy at the time, I very distinctly 

 remember flocks of these pigeons passing both homes, that were miles in 

 length and streamed over, reaching further than the eye could reach in 

 either direction. Equally distinctly I recall sitting in a clump of bushes 

 most of an afternoon with my uncle as he shot his bag full of them; also of 

 how I enjoyed eating them afterwards. 



As they passed over this home they were here as late as 1857, and I feel 

 quite positive they appeared for two or three seasons after we came here, 

 or up to 1859 or 1860, but I may be mistaken as to this. But that uncle 

 shot the pigeons on this place and that I ate them here, and that mile after 

 mile of them passed over me as I worked in the fields on this farm is beyond 

 any doubt whatever. My uncle sometimes sang, " If I could shoot my 

 rifle clear at pigeons in the skies, I'd bid farewell to pork and beans and live 

 on pigeon pies." — E. A. Allbee, MontpeUer, Ioiva. 



Old Notes on the Passenger Pigeon (Ectopistes migratorius) . — In an 

 old note book formerly belonging to Mr. Luther Adams of Townsend, 

 Massachusetts, and loaned me by one of his descendants, I have copied 

 verbatim some interesting data contained therein relating to the Passenger 

 Pigeon. Mr. Adams, who was a farmer and horticulturist, availed him- 

 self of the opportunity afforded him by netting these birds, and the old 

 nets which he used, with many feathers clinging to them, are still on the 

 premises. As a record of what took place in the movements of these birds 

 from August 26, 1847, to September 11, 1848, in this particular locality, it is 

 particularly interesting, as it gives the data for the spring and summer 

 months of 1848. Townsend, is 48 miles from Boston, the country is 

 springy and hilly, with hard woods (many chestnuts) and pine. The 

 pigeon stand was located on a high knoll, which is now covered with pine 

 trees a quarter of a century old. The number of pigeons taken in 1847 

 was 5,028; in 1848, 1,926 were taken. 



