46 
Family Columbidce. - — Pigeons and Doves . 
The wild or passenger pigeon, once so abundant here, is 
now practically extirpated. It is of interest to note a recent 
report of the occurrence of the passenger pigeon, which seems 
to be authentic. Mr. Clayton E. Stone of Lunenburg reports 
seeing a flock of twenty-three birds there on May 6, 1896. 1 
The mourning dove is reported as decreasing, rare or ex- 
tinct by thirty-nine observers ; a few others report it as want- 
ing in their localities, or as unchanged in numbers. These 
reports come from every county in the State except Dukes, 
Nantucket and Eranklin, from which no report on this bird 
has been received. The only cases of increase are reported 
from Bristol and Worcester counties. Miss Agnes G. Barnes 
of Plymouth says the species is increasing, after almost total 
extinction. Miss Abbie Churchill of Fitchburg says the bird 
has been seen recently “ for the first time” at Fitchburg. 
Col. J. E. Thayer says the doves are increasing at Lancaster, 
and S. F. Stockwell says they are scarce but increasing at 
Millbury. I have seen rather more of these birds than usual 
in Middlesex County in 1904, but from the reports it 
seems probable that the species is in some danger of extirpa- 
tion. As against the encouraging reports from Worcester 
County, there are eight pessimistic ones from the same 
county. 2 
Family Bubonidce. — Horned Owls, etc . 
Thirty observers report owls as decreasing, ten report them 
as unchanged in numbers, three report an increase. The in- 
crease is reported only from Eranklin and Berkshire coun- 
ties. The decrease is most marked in Worcester and the 
eastern counties, but there are four reports of decrease from 
Berkshire County. 
While the larger owls appear to be decreasing generally 
in eastern Massachusetts, and breeding great horned owls 
have disappeared from many sections, the screech owl is 
still locally common. 
1 Now (1908) ornithologists are inclined to believe that the passenger pigeon is ex- 
tinct, or doomed to extinction. 
2 In the fall of 1907 a noticeable increase of doves in some counties brought a demand 
for an open season. This increase appears to be the indirect result of protection. 
