Delaware advertiser and farmer's journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1828-1831, 1831-10-20

contained in one Of these mighty Aocks, and
OF the quantity of food daily consumed by
It's members. The inquiry will tend to show
The astonishing bounty of the great Author
OF Nature in providing for the want Of his
creatures. Let us take a column OF one
mile in breadth, which is far below the sv-
Ierage size, and suppose it passing over us
without interruption for three hours, at the
rate of above one mile a minute. This will
give us parallelogram of 1870 miles by 1,
covering 1870 square miles. Allowing two
pigeons to the square yard, we have one
billion one hundred fifteen millions one hun
dred and thirty-six thousand pigeons in one
hoek. AS every pigeon daily consumes full
" nan pint OF food, the quantity necessa-
1 ry ior supplying this vast multitude must
be eight millions seven hundred and twelve
thousand bushels per day,
Let us now inspect their place OF nightly
rendezvous. One ofthese curious roosting.
places on the hanks of the Green River in
Kentucky, repeatedly visited. II was, as
| Is always the case, in portion of the forest
where the trees were Of great magnitude.
and where there was little underso God:
rode through it upwards of forty miles, aud
crossing it in different parts, found its aver
age breadth tob rather more than three
miles. My first view OF it was about fort
night subsequent to the period when they
mad made shoice Off, and arrived there
nearly two hours before sunset. Few pi-
geons were then to be seen, but a great
number OF persons, with horses and wa
CONS, guns and ammunition, had already es-
tablished encampments on the borders. Two
Farmers from the vicinity of Russelsvile.
distant more than hundred miles, had
driven upwards of three hundred hogs to be
tattened on .he pigeons which were to be
slaughtered. Here and there, the people
employed in pluckpg and sailing what had
already been procured, were seen sitting in
the midst Of large piles Of these birds. The
dung lay several inches deep, covering the
whole extent Of the roosting- place, like
bed ofsnow. Many trees two feet in diam
eter. observed, were broken off at no great
distance from the ground, and the branch
es OF many Of the largest and tallest had
gwen way, as ii the forest had been swept
by an tornado. Every thing proved TO me
that the number of birds resortinp In this
part Of the forest must be immense beyond
conception. Al the period of their arrival
approached, their foes anxiuusly prepared
to receive them. Some were furnished with
iron pots containing sulphur. others with
torches oEpine knots, many with poles, and
the rest with guns. The sun was lost 10 our
view, yet not pigeon had arrived. Every
thing was ready, and all eyes were gazing
on the clear sky, which appeared in Gimp
SEES amidst the tall trees. Suddenly there
burst forth general cry of "IIere they
come" The noise which they made, though
yet distant, reminded me of a hard gale
ct sea, passing through the rigging of
close reefed vessel. As the birds arrived
and passed over me. ! felt current Of air
that surprised me. Thousands we're soon
knocked down by the pole. men. The birds
continued to pour in. the fires were lighted,
and magnificent, as well as wonderful and
almost terrifying sight presented Itself. The
pigeons arriving by thousands, alighted eve
ry where, one above another, until solid
masses az large as hogshed2s were formed
on thebranches all around. Here and there
the perches gave way under the weight
with crash, and falling to the ground, des.
troyed hundreds Of the birds beneath, for |
cling down the dense groups with which |
every stick was loaded. 1t was a scene of
uproar aud confusion. found it quite use
less to speak. or even to shout TO those per-
sons who were nearest to me. Even the re- |
ports of the guns were seldom heard, and |
was made aware Of the firing only by see
ing the shooters re- loading No one dared |
venture within the line of devastation. The |
hogs had been pennel up in due time, the |
picking Of the dead and wounded being left |
tor the next mornings employment. The |
pigeons were constantly coming, and it was
midnight before perceived decrease in
the number Of those who arrived.
The uproar continued the whole night; |
and as was anxious to know to what dis
lance the sound reached, sent off man,
accustomed to perambulate the forest who
returning two hours afterwards, informed |
me he had heard it distinctly when thpee
miles distant from the spot. Towards the !
approach of day, the noise in some measure
subsidized, long before objects were distin-
guishable, the pigeons began to move off
in different direction from that in which
they had arrived the evening before, and
at sunrise, all that were able to fly had
disappeared. The howlings of the wolves
reached Our ears, and the foxes, lynxes,
cougars, bears, racoons, oppossums and
polecats were seen sneaking off, whilst ca
giles and hawks of different species, accom-
panied by crowd of vultures, came to sup
plant them. and enjoy their share of the
spoil-Ivide. PIP.
Who Mould have though hI--A London
paper OF the 81 August, has the following
grave paragraph:
GIVE learn nv the adviree f,on, tba IT,;tai