134 The Passenger Pigeon 



for on the yth of June I mention shooting 7, and on the 

 8th 8 (I used to go every morning), and on the loth 

 I got 8 again and on the i ith 12, and so on with vary- 

 ing success. On June 1 1 I mention that the young ones 

 were beginning to fly plentifully. 



W. B. M. 



Extract from a letter written by the late Alexander 

 McDougall of Duluth, February 8, 1905: 



I have been about Lake Superior since 1863. Have 

 ijever known any rookery near the lake or in Lake 

 Superior Basin, although I think they did breed near 

 Lake Superior, for they were in such great quantities 

 about the lake during the whole summer. In 1871 

 when this town (Duluth) was first building, there were 

 millions of them about here. In the Lake Superior 

 region there are lots of berries but no beech nuts, ex- 

 cept near Grand Island, 40 miles east of Marquette. 

 It is likely if there was any roosting on Lake Superior, 

 this would be the most favorable place. . . . The 

 pigeon was numerous on Lake Superior in 1872, for I 

 have recollections of catching some that year while cap- 

 tain of the Steamer Japan. During foggy weather and 

 at night, they would alight on the boat in great numbers, 

 tired out. On foggy mornings, the blowing of our 

 whistle would start them up. Often, when they would 

 light on the eave of our overhanging deck, we could 

 sneak along under the deck and quickly snatch one. I 



