The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1868-05-02
Great Crow Roost I'm Kentucky.

from Lexington, on the Danville pike
The roost is so old that the mind of the
oldest inhabitant of the blue grass re.
gion runneth not to the contrary. Many
years ago the roost was nearer Lexing.
ton, but as the trees were cut away the
crows moved southwark, always seeking
the next piece of timber.
At the present there are no large for
ests in the country near the city, and
many pieces Of timber have been called
into requisition to lodge their black
highnesses. Hundreds sleep in the open
field for want of limb, and the wran-
gle over a desirable bed in a tree top is
something fearful. By the amount OF
cawing and jawing done every evening,
we should think the question of recon-
structiDg the foost, or moving it alto
gether, was under discussion Whether
the crows will ever abandon their an
cient roost is a matter of doubt, but judg-
ing by the fact that hundreds, if not To
say thousands, have already give up the
trees and roost on the ground, We incline
to the opinion that when there are no
more trees al ,svill sonteut Ahcmsslyes
WIN q 6ed on motIief earth. --'s e
A gentleman who lives near the roost,
who has fine locust grove in front Of
his house, was surprised one evening to
see it black with crows. For time IL
went well, but the roost became popular,
and every evening there was a wranglc
to see who would get it. As the desira-
bic place would hold only few hun
dreds, and there were some thousands
who nightly applied for lodging, the noise
and confusion became intolerable. Some
times in the middle Of the night an over
loaded limb would break, aud then a
battle would ensue, lasting not unfre-
quently until day light. Tired out with
the din that banished the idea of sleep,
one night the old fellow and his son
sailed out with shot guns and slew some
hundreds Of their annoying VISITORS
Next morning the crows were all gone,
and returned no more to the grove. sT
The other evening we drove out to
the roost, and witnessed a sight we shall
not soon forget. 1t was 4 o'clock. when
we arrived on the ground, aud already
the crowds had begun to arrive At
they were coming from all di-
rections, aud long lines continued Gu
tering the woods from every quarter un-
til dark. Each flock had its fier. or
leader, who flew over the tree-tops until
be found his roost, when the head Of the
column lighted, the rest circling round
and round and winding themselves about
the chief Only a few crows would light
on the same tree where the leader light
ed, from which fact we judged he is
sort of aristocrat with the common herd,
and that the persons who slept on his
tree were his royal family and crows high
in authority in the flock.
Whether we imagined it or not, GER
tain it is that on one tree only two or
three crows sat, who kept up an inees-
SAINT cawing, and every now and then
one would quit the tree, and, after flying
TO an approaching flock, would return
aud apparently report TO an old fellow
g3.lRsQs at gat lbs tsppAssL branch aud asyeg
ais wings and constantly grumbling
lbout something. He may have been
he king of all the crow nation, and VIC
.egretted exceedingly that we did not
understand the crow language, so we
could report him correctly to the many
eaders of the Commercial. At times
he venerable cuss spoke in highly cx-
;ited and cultural tone, and if we may
,e allowed to Judge by his motioV, he
vas considerable OF tyrant Ia his gov-
affairs. The crows did not
seem afraid of US, and were evidently
Ised to human visitors. We drove UP
luite close to the trees bending beneath
heir weight but these birds, usually SO
,hy, did not mind us much until my com
oanion initiated the explosion of gun,
when scene that beggars description
followed. Instantly cries arose from all
parts of the wood, and thousands of
rows few into the air, circling round and
.ound us, cawing vociferously. At times
he noise was so great that although sit
ing side by side in the buggy, VIC had
% speak loudly in order to be heard by
Zach other. Having raised great dis
ress among our black friends, we drove
IF. but for miles saw focks in the air
,tilI coming to roost. The rustic of the
wings in flying was one Of the most pecu-
lar sounds we ever heard, large flock
passing directly over our heads, we
paused to listen, and could compare. the
loise to nothing but the iutter Of mil
ion fans, or the rumpling of vast pieces
# silk. Although the crows will not
4bandon their roost, it is most annoy
ng one, the boys from the city and ad-
dining farms are frequently going out
With dogs and guns and killing hundreds
# them. On dark night they will not
ly from a torch, and if it is wet and
lrizzly you can hardly start them up.
A double barreled shot gun or an old
nusket loaded with slugs, whe.-6red off
lnder large tree, has been known to
,ring down as many as forty birds
This inhuman murder is frequently prac-
iced by the youngsters who make bets
low many crows they can brina elowD at
single shot If startled out of their
leep, the crows will fly from tree to tree,
md seem quite helpless, losing in the
light time all that cunning which char
cterizes them in daylight. When the.
iring continues for any time, they will
iy into the open fields and there sleep
Until daylight. AS soon as the day be-
Rms to break they quit their roost and
20. no one knows where. 1t has been
estimated that e crow will fly a hundred
niles for his breakfast and return after
supper. and we have not the least doubt
hat many of the crows who sleep in
Kentucky are citizens of Ohio, Indiana
md Illinois. We think that about one
million crows sleep at the Church Roost,
md about the last of March they will
cave us and scatter themselves over the
1orthern States, returning sgain next fall
% spend the winter with US. A gentle
nan who has closely observed them for
many years, says that every year they
decrease in numbers, that they are slow
y passing away, aud in time, like tho
poor Indian, they will become dcfunct
ace on this continent.-C Gin. Com.