84 Trans. Acad. Sci. of St. Louis. 



\ '- Order COLUMBAE. Pigeons. 



Family Columbidae. Pigeons. 

 315. EcTOPiSTES MiGRATORius (Linn.). Passenger Pigeon. 



Columba migratoria. Ectropistes macrura. Wild Pigeon. 



Geog. Dist. — Formerly eastern North America to Hudson 

 Bay, west to Great Plains and straggling to Wyoming, Nevada 

 and Washington, breeding from latitude 32° in Mississippi to 

 latitude 65° in Mackenize. In later years so extremely rare 

 that their occurrence anywhere may be regarded as casual, un- 

 less it be some unsettled parts along the northern border of the 

 United States or in Canada. 



Our new game law does not protect the Wild Pigeon at all, 

 considering it extinct in the state of Missouri, though once in a 

 while we find the capture of a few of them reported in the 

 newspapers. That they were formerly abundant in Missouri 

 is attested by the early travelers and explorers and is well 

 known to all the old inhabitants. Available records are the 

 following : 



1833, April 21. Prince of Wied killed some above the mouth 

 of the Kaw River. 



1843, May 6. Audubon killed one or two north of the present 

 site of St. Joseph. 



1855, '56 and '57. F. V. Hayden says in his report: ''Quite 

 abundant on the lower Missouri River. ' ' 



1872. Large flocks were observed by Dr. A. F. Eimbeck at 

 New Haven, and his brother, Charles L. Eimbeck, who has two 

 fine speciniens in his collection of mounted birds. 



1874, April 6. W. E. D. Scott saw a flock of seven at Warrens- 

 burg. 



1878. Last seen at Fayette by Prof. Kilpatrick (Reported 

 in 1885). 



1880, September 29. Mr. J. D. Kastendieck took his last 

 Wild Pigeon at Billings, but saw some several years afterward. 



1882, February 5 and 6. Several large flocks were seen going 

 north by the writer at St. Louis. 



1883, Last year common (in the fall) at Keokuk (Currier). 



1884, September 9 and 21. Seen at Mt. Carmel, by Mrs. 

 Musick. 



