CHAPTER XIV 

 A Novel Theory of Extinction 



By C. H. Ames and Robert Ridgway 



Boston, March 8, 1906. 

 Mr. W. B. Mershon : 



Dear Sir: — ^Thank you for your note of the third 

 in reply to mine of the first, in regard to your book on 

 the Passenger Pigeon. I note that you say : 



*' There is room to make additions if you think you have something 

 that would be interesting, and would like to submit it to me for my 

 consideration. " 



Thanking you for your courtesy in the matter, I beg 

 to say that I have long had great interest in the prob- 

 lem of the so sudden and complete destruction of this 

 great species, and have from the first been quite unable 

 to believe that the ordinarily assigned agencies for the 

 destruction of the pigeon were adequate, or anywhere 

 near adequate, to make a destruction so sudden and 

 complete. 



Several accounts which have come to my notice have 

 strengthened my view. I know well that the attack of 

 man and beast upon the pigeons in their rookeries, or 

 breeding places, was fierce, persistent and enormously 



173 



