36 
THE CONDOR 
Vol. XV 
paper, the Band-tailed Pigeon is practically indifferent in its bearing upon agri- 
cultural interests. The bird feeds upon native fruits and nuts of no value to man. 
At times it forages over stubble fields for waste grain. In rare cases newly sown 
grain fields have been raided to an extent to amount to definite damage. We are 
safe in saying that the pigeon has no beneficial bearing upon agriculture • it is at 
least indifferent. 
( d ) Game animals form an important asset of the state, because they are of 
direct use to man as food, because their pursuit leads to pleasurable and hearty 
out-door exercise on the part of many men who otherwise pursue sedentary lives, 
and because hunting by whatever means and to whatever extent involves large 
commercial dealings. We would not here include the market value of game, as 
the time is clearly close at hand when market hunting will be altogether a thing 
of the past; non-sale of game is the only justifiable course. 
The Band-tailed Pigeon probably never did compare favorably in importance 
to the sportsman with quail or ducks. Its large size, and consequently greater 
food value, certainly gives it superiority over the dove as a game bird, though its 
numbers at best probably never approached those of the dove. The latter, too, 
was far more accessible.. 
The flesh of the pigeon is asserted by the majority of those who have eaten it 
to be delectable, favorably comparable with that of other game birds. In a few 
cases it is described as tough, though experience teaches that with any meat mode 
of cooking has chiefly to do with the results. One person (Bendire, 1892, p. 123) 
complains that in Oregon the flesh of pigeons .shot at certain seasons was “bitter.” 
This was thought to be due to the nature of the food locally. It is safe to say 
that no criticism of the pigeon as an article of food will receive general confirma- 
tion. 
We have no statements from sportsmen of experience as to the rank of the 
pigeon as a bird worthy of skill in stalking and marksmanship. Volumes have 
been written with regard to quail, doves and ducks. The pigeon is doubtless, be- 
cause of its totally different habits, in a class by itself. The writer has hunted 
pigeons to a small extent, and while confessedly not an acute sportsman, must 
admit that no other game bird, except jack snipe, has offered him so much of the 
hunter’s exhilaration. 
We have reason to believe that from every standpoint the pigeon deserves 
high consideration as a game bird of California. As has been clearly brought out 
this is the chief value of the bird to the interests of the state. Granted the last 
stated proposition, the next question to claim our attention is as to the means by 
which the pigeon may be brought to a point where it will be of greatest use as a 
game bird. 
Legislation Recommended 
Up to the present moment not one whit of protection has been accorded the 
Band-tailed Pigeon in the State of California, save that in common with other 
game birds it has recently been declared a misdemeanor to destroy its eggs. 
At the same time there has been neither close season, nor bag limit, nor non-sale. 
It has thus been possible to slaughter pigeons at any season, and in any numbers, 
and to sell them without restriction in the open market ! 
This is exactly what occurred in the spring of 1912. To re-quote from Cham- 
bers ( 1912. p. 108) ; One hunter from Los Olivos, Santa Barbara County, shipped 
over 2,000 birds to San Francisco and Los Angeles hotels. The morning train 
from San Luis Obispo to Los Olivos on Sundays averaged 100 passengers who 
