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with white; tail, white, variegated at the base, the two middle feathers like the back; loral space and a band behind the eye, yellowish-white, a dusky streak under the eye; throat, reddish-white, with dusky spots; fore parts and sides of the neck, barred with reddish-white; on the breast the dusky spots become first curved, then arrow-shaped, and so continue narrowing on the hind part of the breast and part of the sides of which the upper portion is barred; abdomen, lower tail coverts and axillars, white; tarsal feathers, light brownish-gray, faintly barred with whitish. Female:--Smaller, the tints of colors less bright. Length, 18-20; wing, 8-9; middle feathers of the tail, 4-6; outer feathers, 14. HAB. British America, from the northern shore of Lake Superior and British Columbia to Hudson's Bay territory and Alaska.

Nest, in a tuft of grass on the prairie.

Eggs, five to twelve, grayish-olive or drab color, minutely dotted with brown spots the size of a pin's head.

Writing from the North-West, Prof. Macoun says of this species: "This is the Prairie Chicken of our western plains, the true Prairie Chicken not being observed here.”

Dr. Coues, writing in the same strain, says: "This is the Prairie Chicken of the whole North-West, usually occurring where the Pinnated Grouse does not, although the habitats of the two species overlap to some extent." From the foregoing it appears that while the present species occupied the North-West, the Prairie Chicken flourished more in the south-east, but that now both are being driven farther to the north-west, as the prairies come under cultivation.

The Sharp-tail is abundant near Winnipeg, from which point it has reached the Hamilton market. It is also reported by Mr. Bampton as being found at Sault Ste. Marie.

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Naked skin of head and neck, livid blue; general color, copper-bronze with copper and green reflection, each feather with a narrow black border; all the quills, brown, closely barred with white; tail, chestnut, barred with black and a broad subterminal black bar. Tip of tail feathers and upper tail coverts, lighter chestnut. Length, 3-4 feet.

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HAB. United States, from southern Canada to the Gulf coast, and west to the Plains, along the timbered river valleys; formerly along the Atlantic coast to southern Maine.

Nest, on the ground.

Eggs, ten to fifteen, dark buff or cream color, thickly sprinkled with dark umber-brown.

Within the recollection of people still living, Wild Turkeys were comparatively common along our south-western frontier. Mr. Wagstaff, in his letter already referred to, says: "Wild Turkeys are getting scarce. They were once numerous in Kent and Essex, going about in flocks, but the severe winter of 1842 almost exterminated them. About 1856 they had again become numerous, but are gradually getting fewer in number, as the settler's axe clears away the timber." In the "List of Birds of Western Ontario," it is stated that a nest was found in the county of Middlesex in 1878.

That veteran sportsman and naturalist, Dr. Garnier, of Lucknow, writing under date of December 11th, 1884, says: "I have killed several Wild Turkeys in the county of Kent, and saw one there this season which I did not obtain.

"On the 21st of last October, I had a female of this species in my hands at Chatham station, which had just been killed near by. About four years ago, at Leguis farm, near Mitchell's Bay, I saw three gobblers, two of which I killed right and left, the third was shot the same day by a boy, from whom I bought it for a dollar.

"Most of the domestic turkeys in that section are either the wild species tamed or half-breeds, and are far superior in flavor to the ordinary stock. In 1856, I killed two out of a large flock within half a mile of Hagersville, which at that time consisted of a wagon shop, a toll gate, post-office, and a small shop called a 'store.' I also got a set of nine eggs, and found the female killed by a fox, lying close by, still warm but quite dead."

The Wild Turkey has never advanced into Ontario much beyond the southern boundary, the climate being evidently too severe, and the locality from other causes perhaps not very attractive. The few which still remain are more hunted as they become more rare, and to all appearances the day is not far distant when this valuable game bird will be sought for in vain in the Province of Ontario.

A second species is found, which is believed to be the parent of the domestic stock. It is more of a southern bird, being found chiefly in Texas, New Mexico, Arizona and southward.

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135. Passenger Pigeon. (315)

Adult male-Dull blue above with olivaceous tinge on back; below, dull purplish-red, whitening on vent and crissum; sides of neck, golden and ruby; some wing coverts, black spotted; quills, blackish, with slaty, whitish and rufous edging; middle tail feathers, bluish-black; the others, white or ashy; the inner webs, basally black with chestnut patch; bill, black; feet, coral red. Female and young:-Duller and more brownish or olivaceous above; below, dull grayish, with a tawny tinge anteriorly, or quite gray; very young have the feathers skirted with whitish. Length, 15-17; wing, 7-8; tail, about the

same.

HAB.-Eastern North America, from Hudson's Bay southward, and west to the Great Plains; straggling westward to Nevada and Washington Territory. Nest, on bushes or small trees, loosely built of twigs. Eggs, one or two, pure white.

As its name implies, this is a migratory species, but it has not, like many others, a regular migratory course which it instinctively follows year after year in the same direction. On the contrary, the movements of the Wild Pigeon are quite irregular, and guided only by the instinct which directs the birds in their search for food. A few straggling pairs are still found in the back woods in Southern Ontario, where they probably breed, but the rising generation of sportsmen can have but inadequate conceptions of the vast flocks of pigeons which used in former years to pass over Hamilton.

They were annually looked for in April. The first who observed them circulated the news, "The pigeons are flying," and early in the morning a regular fusilade would be heard all along the edge of the "Mountain," where at daylight the gunners had taken up their stand at points where the flocks were likely to pass. These annual migrations seemed to attain their maximum in 1854, "the year of the cholera." During that season, from the middle of April till the end of June, flocks could be seen in every hour of every day passing to the west. The summer was unusually warm, and as the heat increased, the birds seemed weak and languid, with scarcely enough energy left to rise above the houses. Vast numbers were killed, till, fortunately for the birds, a rumor- got abroad that eating too many

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pigeons caused the cholera, and then they were allowed to pass on their way unmolested.

After that year the flocks rapidly decreased in number, till at present the annual migrations have entirely ceased.

The food of the species consists chiefly of beech nuts, wild berries, and seeds of different kinds. These disappear as the country comes under cultivation, and the pigeons seek the less settled districts in search of their favorite fare. At present we hear of them being exceedingly abundant in the valley of the upper Mississippi, and as they are quite hardy, they probably extend up north into the "Great Lone Land."

Those who wish to see such flocks of pigeons as used to pass over Ontario will have to follow them there, for in all probability they will never be seen here again.

Such is the record for the species written in 1885, and since that date there has been little to add to their history in Ontario, for with the exception of one or two stragglers occasionally met with in the beech woods, they have left the Province.

I find, however, that two enthusiastic ornithologists have acted on the closing suggestion of the preceding notice, and have followed the birds to the far west. They did not succeed in finding any large roost, but gained much information regarding the habits of the birds, some of which I shall here repeat, for the questions are often asked, "Has the Wild Pigeon become extinct?" "Where has it gone?"

It is to Win. Brewster, Esq., of Cambridge, Mass., that I am indebted for the information which enables me to reply to these questions. In the interest of science he followed the birds to their haunts, and in the Auk for October, 1889, he gives a most interesting account of the trip. I would fain give the article in full, but I can only make a few extracts. He says: "In the spring of 1888, my friend Capt. Bendire wrote me that he had received news from a correspondent \ in central Michigan that Wild Pigeons had arrived there in great numbers and were preparing to nest. Acting on this information, I started at once in company with Jonathan Dwight, jun., to visit the expected nesting' and learn as much as possible about the habits of the breeding birds, as well as to secure specimens of their skins and eggs." On reaching Cardillac, on the 8th of May, they found that large flocks had passed north late in April, and the professional pigeon netters expected to hear of their settling not far off, and were busy getting their nets in order. From them much information was gained regarding the habits of the birds. "Our principal

informant was Mr. Stevens, of Cardillac, a veteran pigeon-netter of large experience, and, as we were assured by everyone we asked concerning him, a man of high reputation for veracity and carefulness of statement."

"Small colonies,' said Mr. Stevens, still breed throughout Michigan, but the largest roost of late years was near Grand Traverse in 1881.' It was about eight miles long. The largest nesting place he ever visited was in 1876 or 1877. It was near Petosky and extended north-east past Crooked Lake for twenty-eight miles, averaging three or four miles wide. For the entire distance every tree of any size had one or more nests in it, and some were full of them, placed generally not less than fifteen feet from the ground. The usual number of eggs is two, but many nests have only one. Both birds incubate and change regularly. The old birds never feed near the nesting,' leaving all the beech mast, etc., there for their young, many of them going a hundred miles daily for food."

Pigeon-netting, as a business, assumed large proportions at Petosky at the time referred to. At least five hundred men were engaged in netting pigeons and sending them to market.

Mr. Stevens thought that each man captured 20,000 birds during the season, for at one time as many as two car loads were shipped south on the railroad each day, yet he believed that not one bird out of a thousand of those present was taken.

The first birds sent to the market yield the netter about a dollar per dozen, but at the height of the season the price sometimes falls as low as twelve cents per dozen.

"All the netters with whom we talked believe firmly that there are just as many pigeons in the west as there ever were. They say the birds have been driven from Michigan and the adjoining States partly by persecution and partly by the destruction of the forests, and have retreated to uninhabited regions, perhaps north of the Great Lakes in British North America."

In the Auk, Vol. VIII., page 310, appear some extracts from a letter written by Mr. Caleb S. Cope, of West Chester, Pa., who is well acquainted with the habits and appearance of the birds, having trapped them many years ago. During the spring of 1887, Mr. Cope, in company with his son, travelled extensively through the west, straggling beyond the plains into California, Oregon, western Washington and Vancouver Island. Of the last-named place he says: "I saw and heard more Wild Pigeons (Ectopistes) than I remember to have ever met with in any other place. The locality where most

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