1922.] of the Passenger Phjeon in Canada. 130 



I was up that morning very early, and so were the birds. 

 I had taken up a [)osition on the top ofc" some rising ground, 

 behind a rail or small fence which ran along the edge ot" a 

 wood in which were orowino- some beech trees which 

 supplied the favourite food of the pigeons. The beech-nuts 

 had been lyinof covered with snow all through the winter, but 

 were now exposed. Between the spot where I stood and 

 another large wood was a small open clearing or meadow. 

 By this time the air was black with flock upon flock of 

 pigeons all going eastward. Some were flying high, but 

 others just cleared the wood in front of me, and then swooping 

 down to the meadow, flew very close to the ground, so close 

 indeed that it was necessaiy for them to rise before clearing 

 the low fence in front of me. This was my opportunity : 

 and as they cleared the fence, so I fired into wave upon 

 wave. 



They came on in such numbers that thousands would 

 pass between the discharge of my double-barrelled gun and 

 its reloading — a longer process then, in the days of muzzle- 

 loaders, than now. At about 10 a.m., not being in the least 

 prepared for such phenomenal slaughter, I ran out of 

 powder and shot, having then -400 birds to my credit, during 

 the shooting of which it was not unusual to get from 15 to 

 25 with a '' right and left." Being now unable to do any 

 more shooting until I had secured more ammunition I 

 hurried home, a distance of 1^ miles, got .a horse and light 

 waggon, returned to the scene of my battue with some grain- 

 bags holding one and a half bushels of ordinary grain, filled 

 them with the pigeons and made tracks for my home again. 

 All the time I was filling the sacks the birds were still 

 streaming low over the fence, so that before leaving I hid 

 myself behind it, and taking a long slender cedar rail 

 knocked down many more as they came over. 



This, however, to my then youthful notions, did not 

 appeal so nmch as shooting, so that, after dropping my birds 

 at home, I drove into town (Woodstock, Ontario) for more 

 powder and shot and caps, a distance of 3^ miles. During 



