WILD PIGEON 113 



the Thrush Alley clearing. Mistook it for a jay at first, 

 but saw the narrow, swift-flying bird soon. 



Dec. 15, 1853. He ^ had ten live pigeons in a cage 

 under his barn. He used them to attract others in the 

 spring. The reflections from their necks were very 

 beautiful. They made me think of shells cast up on a 

 beach. He placed them in a cage on the bed and could 

 hear them prate at the house. . . . The turtle doves ^ 

 plagued him, for they were restless and frightened the 

 pigeons. 



March 19, 1854. Goodwin killed a pigeon yesterday. 



July 18, 1854. Brooks has let out some of his 

 pigeons, which stay about the stands or perches to bait 

 others. Wild ones nest in his woods quite often. He 

 begins to catch them the middle of August. 



Aug. 15, 1854. Crossed from top of Annursnack to 

 top of Strawberry Hill ^ past a pigeon-bed. 



In the meanwhile we came upon another pigeon-bed, 

 where the pigeons were being baited, a little corn, etc., 

 being spread on the ground, and, [as ?] at the first, the 

 bower was already erected. 



Sept. 5, 1854. Saw two pigeons, which flew about his 

 pond and then lit on the elms over his house. He ^ said 

 they had come to drink from Brooks's, as they often did. 



Sept. 12, 1854. I scare pigeons from Hubbard's oaks 

 beyond. How like the creakingof trees the slight sounds 



^ [Mr. George Brooks of Concord.] 



^ [Mourning- doves.] ' [In Acton.] 



* [Samuel Barrett, who had a sawmill and a gristmill on Spencer 

 Brook, a tributary of the Assabet.] 



