192 



PIGEONS AND DOVES Order Columbae 



Family Columbidae 



PASSENGER PIGEON 



315. Ectopistes migratorius. 16 in. 



Head and back bluish-slate; below, rich rusty brown. 

 Only a few years ago, up to 1880, they were extremely 

 abundant in eastern North America. Seemingly incred- 

 ible stories are told of the immense flocks and roosting 

 places of these birds, and most of them are authentic. 

 It is unfortunate that the camera was not extensively 

 used then, so we have no visual records of them. A 

 nesting place in Michigan is described as 28 miles in 

 length by about four in width, and every tree in the 

 woods, throughout this whole tract, had several nests, 

 and some were filled with them. Flocks darkening the 

 sky and covering several square miles are recorded. 

 And, today, but one or two stragglers are reported in 

 a year, and these are usually doubtful. They were 

 shot and netted at their roosting and nesting places, 

 barreled up and sent to market for sale, this continuing 

 so long as there were birds enough to make it profit- 

 able, and we reap the result no birds. 



