five hundred men were engaged in net- 352 live birds ; an equal number was 

 ting the birds and it was thought by one sent by water. We have, adding the 

 Pigeon netter they may have captured thousands of dead and wounded ones 

 twenty thousand birds apiece during the not secured, and the myriads of squabs 

 season. But this was not the worst fea- left dead in the nest, at the lowest pos- 

 ture of this inhuman method of hunting, sible estimate, a grand total of 1,000,- 

 Large trees containing a number of 000,000 Pigeons sacrificed to Mammon 

 nests were cut down in order to obtain during the nesting of 1878." Regard- 

 the fat young birds or squabs. Another ing the estimate of Professor Roney, 

 excellent account, which helps to show Captain Bendire has said: ''The last 

 why the Passenger Pigeon has been mentioned figure i$ undoubtedly far 

 nearly exterminated, is that of Professor above the actual number killed during 

 H. B. Roney, regarding a nesting area that or any other year, but even grant- 

 in Michigan during the year 1878. In ing that but a million were killed at 

 the "Chicago Field" Professor Roney this roost, the slaughter is enormous 

 makes the following statement: "The enough, and it is not strange that the 

 nesting area situated near Petoskey, cov- number of these Pigeons are now few 

 ered something like 100,000 acres of compared with former years." Cap- 

 land, and included not less than 150,000 tain Bendire's statement was published 

 acres within its limits, being in length in 1892, and now we may truthfully 

 about forty miles by three to ten in say that the beautiful Passenger Pig- 

 width. The number of dead birds sent eons are practically no more ; in the 

 by rail was estimated at 12,500 daily, or words of Mr. Dawson, they are "lost 

 1,500,000 for the summer, besides 80,- in the maw of human greed." 



ALEXIS REINDEER DRIVE 



Alex was getting impatient. Every- so that nothing was visible but their 



thing was ready and his uncle must faces. Everything was ready for the 



know how anxious he was to start. He drive but there was so much talking to 



had been greatly interested in the har- be done, it seemed to Alex as if they 



nessing of the reindeer. It took but a few never would get started. Mr. Polaski 



moments for the Lapp to place the deer- was making inquiries and receiving im- 



skin collar about its neck, pass the trace portant information that would help 



between its legs under the belly and him on his journey, but Alex could not 



fasten it to the front of the sledge, then understand the language his uncle and 



tie a single rein to the lower left horn, the Lapp were speaking, so it did not 



While the Lapp was harnessing Alex's interest him. He was very glad when 



deer, Mr. Polaski harnessed his own his uncle turned to him and said, "Well, 



animal. Mr. Polaski was a buyer of boy, I guess we'll be going now. Get 



reindeer pelts and was taking a journey in the pulkha and I'll show you how to 



north to the land of the Lapps for that drive." 

 purpose. The sledge was shaped like a canoe. 



It was Alex's first visit to Lapland. It had a flat bottom and was about five 



His uncle had long promised him a rein- and a half feet long, a foot deep and a 



deer drive, and was now taking him a foot and a half wide. Alex jumped into 



short distance of the trip. They were it and sat upright with his back against 



bundled up in their thick deerskin suits the backboard and his legs stretched out 



