Long gone, but not forgotten

The Passenger Pigeon
Photo: Keith Schengili-Roberts via www.wikipedia.org

  One hundred years ago this past Monday (August 31) that last Passenger Pigeon died at the zoo in Cincinnati, Ohio.  Named Martha by the zoo she was 29 years old and died of a stroke.  Quickly packed in ice and flown to the Smithsonian in Washington, DC she was the last of her breed.  She was also of the only species observed until extinction.
  Once the most populous bird in North America they were hunted and wasted by the millions, shot and used to fill potholes there were so many.  They would fly in huge groups up to 300 miles long, enough to darken the sky as they passed overhead.  In St. Louis on man brought down 15 birds with one shot.
  When we think there is enough of anything it will last forever remember the Passenger Pigeon.

An illustration of a flight of the birds being shot.
Photo: www.wikipedia.org .