The New Orleans crescent. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1866-1869, 1868-03-10

4 MILLION OR SO OF CROWS.


A correspondent of the Cincinnati Commercial
tells the following curious story about an immense
crow-roosf near Lexington, KY. He says;
Zone Of the most remarkable sights Ia Ken
lucky Is the crow-roost seven miles from Lexing-
ton, the Danville pike. The roost isso old that
the mind Of the Oldest inhabitsnt Of the blue grass
region runneth not TO the contrary. Many years
ego the r00st was nearer Lexington, bat as tns
trees were cut away the crows moved southTard,
always see king the next pierre OF timber. AT the
present there are no large forests in the coantry
near the city, and many pieces OF TIMBER nave
been called into requisifion to lodge their black
higbnesses-
a limb, and the wraDgle over q desirable bed in
tree-fop is absolutely fearful. By the amount Of
cawing and jawing done every evening, we should
think the question Of reconstructing the rocst or
moving it altogether, was under discussion.
whether the crows will ever abandon their an
cient roost Is a matter OF some doubt bat judging
by the fact that hundreds II not to say thousands,
have already given up the trees and roost on the
ground, We incline to the opinion that when there
are no more trees all will content themselves with
bed on mother earth A gentleman who lives
near the roost, and who has fine locust grove in
front OF his house, was surprised one evening TO
see 1t black with crows. For time all went on
well, but the roost became popular, and every
evening there was wrangle TO see who would
set II.
hundreds and there were some thousands who
nightly applied for lodging, the noise and confq-
sion became intolerable. Sometimes in the mid
die Of the night an overloaded limb would break,
and then battle would ensue, lasting not unfre-
quently till daylight. Tired out with the din that
banished the idea OF Sleep one night the old fell
low and his son g. ed 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.
"Tbe other evening we drove out to the roost,
and witnessed sight we shall not soon forget Il
for nj W. han q ived IN a
and already the crows had begun TO arrive. At
shutdown they were coming from all directions,
and long lines continued entering the woods from
every quarter until dark. Each flock had fler
or leader, who few over the treetops until be
found his roost, when the head Of the column
lighted, the rest eircng round aud round and
winding themselves about their chief Only
few crows would light on the same tree where the
leader lighted, from which fact we judge he Is a
sort Of aristocratic parsonage who does not as
sociate with the common herd, and that the per-
sons who slept on his tree where bic royal family
and crows high in authority in the flock.
The crows did not seem afraid Of us, and
were evidently used TO human visitors. We drove
up quite close TO trees bending beneath their
weight, but these birds, usually so shy, did not
mind us much until my companion initiated the
explosion OF gun, when scene that beggars
description followed. Instantly cries rose from
ell parts Of the wood, and thousands Of crows
few into the air, circling round and round us, cav.
ing vociferously. At times the noise was so great
that, although sitting side by side In the buggy,
we had TO speak loudly in order to be heard by
each other. Having raised great distress among
our black friends, we drove Of, but for miles saw
6ocks in the air still coming TO roost. The rusl
Of the wings in flying was one Of the most peca
liar sounds we ever heard; a large flock passing
silently over our heads, we paused to listen, and
could iken the noise 10 nothing but the hatter OF
a million fans, or the rumplng Of vast pieces Of
silk.
"when the firing continues for any time they
will fly into the open fields and there sleep until
daylight. As soon as the day begins to break
they quit their roost and go, no one knows
where. II has been estimated that crow will fly
hundred miles for his breakfast, and return after
supper, and we have not the least doubt that
many Of the crows who sleep in Kentucky are
citizens of Ohio and Illinois. We think that about
one million crows sleep at the Church Roost and
about the last OF March they will leave us aud
scatter themselves over the Northern States, re-
turning again next fall to spend the winter with
US. gentleman who has closely observed them
for many years, says that they decrease in mum.
bers, that they are slowly passing away, and in
time, like the poor Indian, will become defunct
race on this continent