88 PIGEONS AND DOVES 



The Passenger Pigeon millions were destroyed so quickly, 

 and so thoroughly en masse, that the American people utterly 

 failed to comprehend it, and for forty years obstinately re- 

 fused to believe that the species had been suddenly wiped off 

 the map of North America. There were years of talk about 

 the great flocks having "taken refuge in South America," or 

 in Mexico, and being still in existence. There were surmises 

 about their having all "gone out to sea," and perished on 

 the briny deep. 



A thousand times, at least. Wild Pigeons have been "re- 

 ported" as having been "seen." These rumors have covered 

 nearly every northern state, the whole of the southwest and 

 California. For years and years we have been patiently 

 writing letters to explain, over and over, that the band-tailed 

 pigeon of the Pacific coast, and the red-billed pigeon of 

 Arizona and the Southwest are neither of them the Passenger 

 Pigeon, and never can be. 



There was a long period wherein we believed many of the 

 Pigeon reports that came from the states where the birds 

 once were most numerous; but that period has absolutely 

 passed. During the past five years large cash rewards, ag- 

 gregating about $5,000, have been offered for the discovery of 

 one nesting pair of genuine Passenger Pigeons. Many per- 

 sons have claimed this reward (of Professor C. F. Hodge, 

 of Clark University, Worcester, Massachusetts), and many 

 claims have been investigated. The results have disclosed 

 many mourning doves, but not one Pigeon. Now we under- 

 stand that the quest is closed, and hope has been aban- 

 doned. 



