VANISHING SPECIES 339 



and all eyes were gazing on the clear sky, which appeared 

 in glimpses through the tall trees. Suddenly there burst 

 forth a general cry, ' Here they come.' . . . Thousands 

 were soon knocked down by the pole men. The birds 

 continued to pour in. The fires were lighted and a magnifi- 

 cent as well as wonderful and almost terrifying sight pre- 

 sented itself. The pigeons arrived by thousands, alighted 

 everywhere, one above another, until solid masses as large 

 as hogsheads were formed on the branches all around. 

 Here and there the perches gave way under the weight 

 with a crash, and falling to the ground destroyed hundreds 

 of birds beneath, forcing down the dense groups with which 

 every stick was loaded. It was a scene of uproar and 

 confusion. I found it quite useless to speak or even to 

 shout to those persons who were nearest to me. Even 

 the reports of the guns were seldom heard, and I was made 

 aware of the firing only by seeing the shooters reloading. 



" No one dared to venture within the line of devasta- 

 tion. . . . The pigeons were constantly coming, and it 

 was past midnight before I perceived a decrease in the 

 number of those that arrived." 



The investigations of Hornaday, as cited in a previous 

 chapter, show that many species of birds are being so per- 

 secuted by the egg hunters, the small boy, and the cat, 

 that their numbers have been lessened one half within 

 fifteen years, and soon we may expect several species to 

 become extinct unless through education public sentiment 

 is changed. 



The supply of alligators has decreased about ninety- 

 eight per cent since fashion smiled on belts, pocket-books, 

 and hand bags made of alligator hide. If the demand for 



