Vast flocks of Pigeons have passed near the lake within the past week, on their western emigration tour. The flocks were composed mostly of young ones, many of which, it appears, were affected with the western fever before they were so strong & perfectly fledged as they should be for such an undertaking, and fell an easy prey to the sportsmen, who were armed with clubs and poles to knock them down as they passed. Some one hundred and sixty were killed near this village, the other morning, by some persons who occupied a high point of land near the lake, over which they passed, and knocked them down with long poles.
They have been in the habit of nesting in the southern part of this county, and we are informed there is a large collection near Sugar Grove, Pa. now engaged in rearing their young, from whence they send out emigrants as fast as they get prepared, to occupy Uncle Sam's territory in the west. The farmers in this vicinity do not look upon these enterprising squatters in a very friendly light, on account of their predatory habits, in visiting the fields of grain in the vicinity. Their habitations are frequently assailed, and immense numbers of the imperfectly fledged young are taken alive, and carried off to gratify the appetites of the city epicures. As they build their nests as compact as possible, literally covering the trees and saplings with them, and sometimes extending their settlements in this way for miles, their capture in therefore rendered comparatively easy. We are informed that these wagons, with over three thousand pigeons from the vicinity of their nesting lately passed near this place, on their way to Buffalo.
The Boston Traveller notices the arrival in the Railroad cars, of three thousand live pigeons in that city. They were brought from Michigan. — They are said to be very fine after being kept a few days and fatted.
June 8, 1842. Pigeons. Fredonia Censor 12(13): 2.