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 heart)/ 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 compari? 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, ?892, p. I23) complains that i n 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 ha'vt. 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 smalI 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 seasbn, and in any numbers, and to sell them without restriction in the open market! This is exactly what occurred in the spring of I912. To re-quote from Chain- hers (I9?2, p. ?o8): One hunter from Los Olivos, Santa Barbara County, shipped .over 2,0oo birds to San Francisco and Los Angeles hotels. The morning train from San Luis Obispo to Los Olivos on Sundays averaged ioo passengers who
