In 1869 the birds were in Canada, Michigan, Indiana and Wisconsin,
all at the same time, and shooters broke them up. We located a body
at Oakfield, Wis., and had a big catch until the farmers broke them
up. The birds were pulling wheat badly; other feed was gone. The birds
nested in Michigan, up from Mt. Pleasant, but too far inland to get
them out. In 1870 the birds nested near Goderich, Can. Did not do much
there. We then went to Glen Haven and caught some birds. Then we went
to Cheboygan; sent more or less live birds to H. T. Phillips & Co.,
of Detroit. In 1871 we located a large body at Tomah, Wis., and did
some heavy shipping. We used three tiers of ice from a large icehouse,
and the express per barrel was $12 to New York and Boston. We also
shipped from Augusta, Wis., express, $13.50 per barrel. A nesting at
Eau Claire, but we could not get to do much with them there. In 1872 a
large nesting near South Haven, Mich. We located at Bangor and had a
big catch in some big snowstorms. Another body near Clam Lake, end of
railroad. In 1873 we did baiting in Ohio and Wisconsin, but located no
nesting. In 1874 the birds nested at Shelby in two different locations
and another at Stanton, Mich.; small body at Stanton. We did heavy
shipping at Shelby, from one to three cars per day, both alive and
dead. The birds nested this year at Shelby, two places, and at Stanton,
and one at Mill Brook and at Frankfort and at Leeland, and probably at
other points we did not learn of. In 1875 was not out, only baiting
near St. Johns, Mich. In 1876 a heavy nesting at Shelby, Mich., and
at Frankfort. I caught at Shelby and at Glen Haven heavy shipments.
In 1877 was not out, but did some baiting at Eureka. In 1878 a heavy
nesting between Petoskey and Cheboygan. H. T. Phillips located at
Cheboygan. I caught at several points between the two cities.
The above is part of my experience with the birds, since which time
I have kept no record of the movements, but will say that during the
winter season birds have nested in large numbers in the southern
States; in Virginia, Tennessee, Arkansas and Missouri. For a great many
years the birds have been moving west. Last winter I was in Southern
California, and a body of pigeons were west of Los Angeles, among the
acorn timber. There are worlds of feed in the foothills, for thousands
of miles, to feed the birds. They are a greedy bird and will eat
everything from a hemlock seed to an acorn. I have known them to nest
on hemlock mast alone in Pennsylvania, and in Michigan on the pine mast
after the beech mast was gone. Most of the nesting in Michigan happens
March to July, and then they skip farther north and return in wheat
seeding.
Alma, Mich., February 24, 1898.
Friend H. T. Phillips:
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