WHITE-CROWNED PIGEON. 
7 
to the heavily timbered districts of Michigan to find large flocks of 
Pigeons, and even there we can find but a remnant of the hosts 
that assembled in those regions a few years ago. 
The most important of recent contributions to the biography of 
this species is Mr. William Brewsters article in “ The Auk ” 
for October, 1889. He tells there of a “nesting” in Michigan in 
1877 that covered an area twenty-eight miles long and three to four 
miles wide, and says : “ For the entire distance of twenty-eight 
miles every tree of any size had more or less nests, and many trees 
Were filled with them.” 
Brewster visited Michigan in 1888, and heard that a large flock 
had passed over the northern section of the southern penninsula, 
hut it had gone farther north before nesting, — he could not find it. 
He tliinks the flock was .sufficiently large to stock the Western 
States again, were these birds protected for a few years from the 
terrific .slaughter that now imperils their exi-stence ; for it is simply 
this slaughter that has diminished the numbers of the birds. There 
's no mystery about their disappearance, as many writers have tried 
fo represent. Doubtless this species has been irregular in appear- 
mg in any given locality at all times, the movements of the flocks 
being influenced by the food supply. But the Pigeons have been 
exterminated in the East just as they are being exterminated in the 
West, —by “netting.” One old netter told Mr. Brewster that 
during 1881 as many as five hundred men were engaged in netting 
Pigeons in Michigan, and, said he, “ They captured on the average 
twenty thousand apiece during the season.” At this rate the Pigeon 
will soon join the buffalo on that list so disgraceful to humanity, 
“ the extinct species,” — a list that will be filled rapidly if a check 
m not put on men’s avarice and the law’s shameful negligence. 
WHITE-CROWNED PIGEON. 
COLUMBA LEUCOCEPHALA. 
Char. General color dark slate blue, darker on wings and tail, paler 
elow ; upper part of head white ; cape on hind neck of rich maroon, and 
slow it a band of metallic green, each feather bordered with scale-like 
of black. Length about 13J4 inches. 
^est. In low tree or bush, made of twigs and roots, lined with grass. 
^sgs. 2; white; 1.40 X 1.05. 
This species, well known as an inhabitant of Mexico and 
the West Indies, is also gregarious, and found in great numbers 
