THE PASSENGER PIGEON. 



Observations. 



]NJr. Blaekburne, in a letter to Mr. Pennant 

 says, '' that these are as remarkable birds as any 

 in America. They are in vast numbers in all 

 parts ; and have been of great service, at particu 

 lar times, to our garrisons, in supplying them 

 with fresh meat, especially at the out-posts. A 

 friend told me, that in the year in which Quebec 

 was taken, the whole army were supplied with 

 this subsistence, if they chose it. The way wa 

 this. Every man took his club, (for they wer 

 forbid to use their firelocks) when theyjlew, as it 

 was termed in such quantities, that each person 

 could kill as many as he wanted. They in gene- 

 ral begin to fly soon after day-break, and conti- 

 nue till nine or ten o'clock; and again about 

 three in the afternoon, and continue till five or 

 six: but what is very remarkable, they always 

 fly westerly. The times of flying here are in the 

 spring, about the latter end of February or the 

 beginning of March, and they continue every 

 <}ay for eight or ten days ; and again in the fall, 

 when they appear at the latter end of July or the 

 beginning of August. The inhabitants catch 

 vast quantities of them in clap-nets, with stale 

 pigeons. I have seen them brought to the mar- 

 ket at New York by sackfuls. People in general 

 are very fond of them, and I have heard many 

 say that they think them as good as our common 

 blue pigeon: but I cannot agree in this opinion; 

 the flesh tastes most like our queest, or .wild pi- 

 geon, but is better meat. Sir William Johnston 



VOL. 111. NO. XXIII. 2 X 



