The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-03-12

Antics Of nm Immense CONGREGATION In Penn
syIvauia RObbins's Theories.

RrADfNG, Pa, March 1O.-"There they
sit, whole million on 'cm, blinkin' at the sun,
and maxim lookn glasses out O. their blacN'
shiny feathers" Old col Robbins pointed with
his cane to a thick bunch Of chcstnut sprouts
covering about three acres on the top ~ the
Never iui llill. one Of the highest cfags in the
schu,l,ili valley. Rocking and cawing In the
brisk afternoon breeze, and bending We hourhs
us they Chatted like chorus of a Hon loCusts'
sat thousands OF crows. The SMALL ltaness trees
were black with the birds. At tr-t rl1nce II ap-
reared as thougha fire had -cofched ia, branches
black, or that they had been bound with heavy
coats Of black mould. Nearly every branch
was covered, and the number Of crows has
been varlously estimated at all the way from
half a million to millions. They commenced
arriving about the middle OF February. The
Colonel said he first noticed flock Of about five
hundred coming from the south one evening.
The neNt morning there were more arrivals.
Every evening for two weeks crows kept hying
up from the south and settled down over the hill
ON the surue spot several miles helDw this city.
~ night their cawiug could be distinctly heard
Thunder 'spectcd It was reglar crow con-
ventiln holdin mectiu', and took tramp up
tine hill To see what was HOin' on said the
COLONEL, got up here, and ics as turned the
tppiny eve- lit on that sight yornder. and
thought Il the crows IA the world had cone to-
gcihcr 10 have a chat
just then crow larger than common tapped
his wings. ana Kew UI lar above Tile orc nary
height usually attained by this -pcclc- of bird
1--WE seen that same crow ily up that way ATTY
times since they bin here I'm hin waichin 0f
',u for THE past six days rerlar and Whenever
that f,licr UP Wonder ilaps and goe- w he means
business. You see, all the noise J. stopped.
When be comes down and reports business II
10 ou the same rs ever
just a- the colonel said. when the crow de-
seconded the moi - Of the chatting nhd cawmg
See them ar crows yornder on a small bunch (;
n'it iWriye on en- On in4i l,NI' i".n- :
! Ve seen crows fly to that ledge, stay there a
Willie. and then 20 back to their quarters, lust
like they report at headquarters in the army
y few minutes afterward three bitd. az dlher-
eut times lcw To- the ledge remained awhile as
" i'm consultation, and then flew back again. 1t
Wa augnahle To- see then antics ana III" Tear 81
driving them up was the only thing that pre-
vented the Colonel going right NJ to the rocks
To see for himself. II was agreed 10 creep
around and come mp on the other side II the
! hili overlook INK the encamu'ncnt II required
tile greatest care g. get within convenient sight
without disturbing them. \ good position was
cured. Fifteen crows occupied the ledge, and
below them were countless THOUSANDS. The
/ nftepn birds were larger than the rc-t. They
/ rested ON straw, SOM, arranged their feathers,
SON walked about. others slept. aud the re-
J uaIudtr tlntt"red. The vast assembly was pre-
! ragiu., 90 20 to rou-t. Occasionally Hook flew
ur trHm the valley heueai j.. and after helms duiy
/ received hy onWs from thousands of throtts,
settled down iu their regular places. arranged
tncig wings nd TED their head ana prepared Tor
the ni-ht. Ett iy " 'ccf iual hltlr "i tr'. i nr
! nuNfhiuE of the crow diet near the spot has
/ been ucuIulI shed. These crow arc here tor the
purpose of pairing, and ue waiting for warm
/ Wcithtr when they will separate IN convenient
/ tuck- and Us To- many sections OF the country,
There 90 rcuuiu until cold weather
d" Z Itner hight" said the talnnel. " a party
~ yuuu. fellows criwled up there under the
/ tree- 90 capture couple o. hundred To use NJ a
/ -llpfin' match. They built ilre ont 81 pine
! m.an' g. partly surpcate the birds, So that
/ they'd drop down. The bows had hg cham-
/ payne baskets. and bags to ary home the birds
! They Lad o. sooner started the fire, whom one
/ oi tine sentinel birds give Yell that woke mp
/ the whole ARMY. There was a buzz, then a lat
tie. and 'ho air was hlucker than ten dark nights.
/ About uye hundred birds lust pouuoe ID down on
/ tucm fellows. an4 o. big wonder they didn
] Cog away with tic eyes o. every one o. % cfu.
/ Tine boys scampcred oil as fast a. their legs
! could GARY 'rut aud went home without crow.
Al o.. birds Nlu -ce ou flcm high -uDi- are sen
/ firtl- that are ou the lookout for alpruac hin
] dancer. Iury know we're here. hut srriu 70 uh-
| d,r-taud We don't intend nothn' hmuul to
/ en-"