The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1833-07-31
WILD PIGEONS.

1he annexed article aff0rds curious in
formation respecting the peculiar habits
of the piid pigeons Of this country. Ii is
taken from Siliman's Journal for April
last, for which periodical it was furnish
by S. Il. Hildreth.
The most remarkable characteristic of
these birds is their associating together,
both in their migrasions and also in the
period of Incubation, in such prodigious
numbers as almost to surpass belief; and
which has no parallel among any other
of the feathered tribe, on the face of the
earth, with which naturalists are ac-
quainted.
These migrations appear to be under
taken rather in quest Of food, than
merely to avoid tho cold of the climate,
since we find them lingering in the nor
thern regions around Hudson's bay, as
late as December, and since their ap-
pearance is 50 casual aud irregular some
times not visiting certain districts for Sc
yeral yearsin any considerable numbers,
while at others times they are innumera-
BILE. ! have witnessed these migrations
in the Genessee cOuntry--often in Penn
sylvania, and also in various parts of
Virginia, with amazememt; but all that
Z had seen of them were mere struggling
parties. when compared with the con-
gregated millions which ! have since be-
held in our western forests, in the State
Of Ohio, Kentucky, and the Indiana ter
ritory. These fertile and extensive re-
giOns abound with the nutritious beech
nut which constitutes the chief food of
the pigeon. In season when these nuts
are abundant, corresponding multi,udes
ut pigeons may he confidently expected.
1t sometimes happens that having con-
sumed the produce Of the beecI, trees in
an extensive district, they discover ano-
ther at the distance perhaps Of sixty or
eighty miles to which they regularly 70.
pair every morning and return as regu.
larly in the course of the day, or in the
evening, to their place Of rendezvous, or
as it is usually called, the roosting place.
The roos'ing places are always in the
woods. and sometimes occupy large
extent Of forest. When they have fire.
quented one of these places for some
time, the appearance it exhi oits is sur
prising. The tender grass and UNDER
wood are destroyed, the surface strewed
with large limbs of trees broken down by
the weight of the birds clustering one IL
hove another; and the trees themselves
for thousands of acres, killed as COM
plelly as if girdled with an axe. The
marks Of this desolation remain for ma.
ny years on the spot; and numerous
places could be poiuted ont where
for several years after, scarce a single
vegetable made its appearance.
When these roosts are first discovered
the inhabitants for considerable dis
tnnce visit them in the night, with guns,
clubs pots of sulphur, and various other
engines of destruction. In few hours
they fill many sacks, and load their hor-
ses with them-By the Indians a pigeon
roost, or breeding place, is considered an
important source Of national profit and
dependence for the season; and all their
active ingenuity is exercised on the oc-
casion. The breeding place differs from
the former in its greater extent. In the
western states above mentioned, these
are generally in beech woods, and often
extend in nearly a straight line across
the country, for great way.-Not far
from Shelbyville, in tho state of Ken,uc-
ky, about five years ago, there was one
Of these breeding places, which stretch
ed through the woods in nearly a north
and south direction was several miles
in breadth, and was said to tc upwards
Of forty miles in extent. In this tract al
most every tree was furnished with nests,
wherever the branches would accommo-
date them. The pigeons made their APP
pearance there about the tentl, of April,
and left it altogether with their young
before the twenty-ffth of May.
As soon rs the young were fully grown
before they left their nest, numerous
parties of the inhabitants, from all parts
Of the adjacent country, came with wag-
ons, axes, beds, cooking utensils, many
of them accompanied by the greater part
of their families, and encnmped for sew
eral days at this immense nursery. Se-
vcral ofthem informed me, that the noise
in the woods was SO great as to terrify
their horses, and It was difficult for one
person TO hear another speak without
bawling in his car. The ground was
strewed with broken limbs Of trees, eggs,
and squad pigeons, which had been pre-
cipitated from above, and OH which herds
Of hogs were fattening. Hawks. buzz
yards and eagles, were sailing about in
great numbers, and scizing the squads
from their nests ut pleasure; while from
twenty feet upwards to the tops Of the
trees, the views through the woods pre-
sentod a perpetual tumult Of crowding
and Auttering pigeons, their wings roar