Sight of Stuffed Pigeon Refreshes Memories of Old Residents Here.
Tell Of The Slaughter.
Millions of the Birds Were Killed a Few Years Ago. None Found Now.
    The appearance in the window of the Ingalls jewelry store of a stuffed passenger pigeon that was killed fifty-one years ago has caused considerable retrospection on the part of many old time residents of the city.
    Years ago when there were not much stringent game laws, Illinois, Wisconsin and Michigan were filled with what was known as wild pigeons. Old time residents of Waukegan and some of the present generation as well will tell you of the great flocks of these birds that were every spring and fall slaughtered by the thousands. Suddenly they disappeared and now in order to secure an intelligent search of the American continent for the practically extinct passenger pigeon in the hope that the species may be saved from extermination, the rewards offered by ornithologists for the last two seasons will again be offered this year.
    For information of the location of a nesting pair or colony of the birds anywhere in North America, when found with parent birds and eggs or young undisturbed a total reward of $1,000 will be given. At least two societies have offered rewards of $1,500 for one of the birds, dead or alive.
    C. E. Hogges of Clark university, however, lays stress upon the fact that the possession of any birds, either dead or alive is not desired. The effort is directed solely to save the free wild pigeons. Mr. Clark is one who has interested himself much in this regard.
    During the two years that the search has been conducted, several reports have been received from different parts of the country of the birds observation. These, however, without exception, have proven to be without foundation or confirmation. All were of the other species of pigeons or dove. Tangible evidence, it is said, has been found that the passenger pigeon still exists in its wild state.
    The bird is sixteen inches in length, ruddy buff breasted, with red feet. It is often confused with the morning dove, which, however, is smaller and may be distinguished by a black spot on the side of the neck.
    Old residents, in discussing the time when passenger pigeons were plentiful in this section, declare that there were times when the sun was hidden from view by the vast flocks of pigeons. They were slaughtered ruthlessly, being a very dainty food article. One means of slaughtering them was by having a “stool” pigeon or decoy pigeon, which drew flocks of the birds to earth where grain had been sprinkled. A large net was then thrown over them and they were beaten to death with clubs.
    There are two theories which have been advanced to explain the disappearance of the passenger pigeon. One is that in migrating the birds were blown to sea and all drowned. The other theory is that the systematic robbing of their nests caused the pigeons to lose heart and take no care where they deposited their eggs, so that they were destroyed.
    There were times when boats plying on the lake had their decks piled three or four feet high with these dead pigeons. Scores of “old timers” have stopped in front of the Ingalls window and say the sight of the pigeon carries them back many years.