The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1876-04-17
FLIGHT OF WILD PIGEONS.

A FLOCK TWELVE MILES LONG AND FIVE MILES
WIDE SEEKING NESTING place. FLIGHT
ACROSS TWO sTATEs-sETTLING IN THE
BEECH WOODS AT PIKE COUNTY, PA. FORCED
TO TAKE WING By RUTHLESS AND ISDIscRIAI-
NATE SLAUGHTER BY HUNTERs-TEN THOU.
SAND KILLED IN NIGHT WITH CLUBS.
pocoxo SuNaIr, Pa, April II, 1870
About a month ago, early morning, the people
living nj Barnum's sullivan county. N. Y. were sur
prised to see the air thick with the fight OF an APP
parcutiy endless flock Of wild pigeons, which was pass.
ing over that section to the northward. For over
quarter OF an hour the Sight continued in an nccs
SAINT stream, obstructing all view OF the sky, and
giving 10 the surroundings that sombrc appearance
caused by the gathering aud passing Of thunder
clouds 1t was not known at the timc how far the
flock extended to The eastward. bu. II
was subsequently learned tina. II reached
over twelve miles In a continuous line. The
birds we're too nigh be shot With any degree OF
success although during the flight quite number
were killed by unusually fortunate gunners Old hunt
that tho pigeons were seeking nesting places
but from the altitude OF their flight II was not sup
posed that they would short OF the North Woods
in John Browns tract Two days aftcrward however,
lumbcrmcn from the head waters Of the Beaverkiu
and the beech woods Of the upper wilderness OF Sull-
van county, brought the ncws that these sections
had been taken possession OF by Wild pigeons in enor
nous numbers and that they were preparing for the
nesting season. Law aud order sportsmen, acting as
individuals and for Ash and game societies. at set
about taxing measures to
PROTECT rnE
from awcss destruction. The woods found to DO
literally swarmine with pigeons Deputy game consta-
bes were stationed In considerable force in the wilder
ness, cabins being erected Tor their accommodation
They had orders deal summarlv win all Hunncrs
trappers seeking 10 disturb the birds rs the nws
would warrant Unparalleled sport was anticipated IN
due time but unfortunately weather intcrvened
the BeaverI,ll few days after the pigeons rested
Alter the storm had ceased the cohsabes noticed
unusual stir among the birds throughout the region,
ana about tho nth day CT their stay they
TAXING FLIGHT,
and in few hours there not pigeon to be found
in the entire territory. They took direction north
west and In due heard OF AS having passed
oyer the OF Delaware and Broomc in this State,
and susquchanna and Bradford IN Pennsylvania, and
took up their quarters the beech woods OF Pike and
Monroe counties
Tue beech woods Of these counties comprise thousands
of acres OF almost primitive Wilderness. they being
valcd only by lumbermen bark peclcrs and sporsmen
In their fastncsscs the black bear roams at will
and the Wild deer finds security from hunter
ana hound. On Friday last Clinton Waters and
Isaac Bennett bark eclers wcrc IN the depths OF
Tue beech woods about 1--we miles from this station
selecting place build a cabin for the ensuing bark
pecng season. The was shining brightly. not
cloud being in the sky. when suddenly tho sun was
hidden as III by dark cloud and noise like that pro-
duced by gale OF wind the roll of distant thunder
broke on thor simultaneously tho woods COM
nenced filing with Wild pigeons. Tree after tree was
ncd with the rapidly OF lightning, and stlll tho ar
black with one great moving mass OF birds as far
as eye could reach.
SLAUGHTER or THE BIRDS
After the first excitement attending the appearance
the pigeons had passed oil and was apparent that
the great body had found resting places, Walters and
Bennett the instinct Of the human race began
TO wage war against the birds They were possessed
OF no guns but taxing each long pole, they swOoped
about Them among the pigeons right and left. With
blow dozens of tho birds fell killed and manned
to tho ground The men slew hundreds In tins way
The pigeons In that they attacked would ny al
the rst assault only seek the nearest resting place.
This ruthless destruction OF tho pigeons was kept up
by the until they were actually gutted with
killing when they picked up nifty Of the dead birds and
started this place. leaving the ground strewn with
others, dead, dying and wounded
For the purpose Of seeing how far the woods were
occupied by the pigeons they walked tor Ave miles
through the forest As fur as they could see on either
side the BIRDS occupied the trees, aud when they
stopped In their walk turn OF 10 the Summit they
could discover the end Of the flock When they
brought the OF the great pigeon roos to this place
the excitement great among the lumbcrmen and
Others aud dozens OF started to kill them ut
clubs Each man carried lantern torch made Of pine
knots. On reaching the roost q continuous slaugh-
ter kept up tor two hours The birds. alarmed by
the guns and lights flew bndly about among the trees,
dashing against the lanterns aud sngeng them
selves the torches The noise made BY the disturbed
pigeons flying from their roosts terrific II Is csti
mated that TO- 900 killed and wounded, the most OF
which wero left the ground. The party returned
loaded down with birds, which were distributed through
the neighborhood.
No took enough In the pigeons to ask the
protection ofthc law for them, and saturday tho
slaughter commenced again. The birds had chosen
the beech woods their nesting place. but tho deter.
mined cruelty and barhary Of tho adjacent inhabitants
resulted their again taking flight and seeking other
fields They nom the woods about nine o'clock
Saturday morning, and In short time all had dts
appeared. They took directly west. flying
very high, and have settled probably the wilderness
Of Western Pennsylvania Old and experienced
hunters say that this the largest flight OF wild
pigeons ever known in this region The flock vas Ger.
tainly twelve miles long and four or five wide.