The Ouachita telegraph. [volume] (Monroe, La.) 1865-1889, 1881-06-24

AS the flock approaches string is
him up and down, and he flaps his
wings To keep his balance. He pres
cnts the appearance to the approaching
flock oG Il bird lowering over feeding
ground, and they settle down around
him.
caught at ono time ~ the reporter
asked.
"l once saw siNty-sevcn dozen
caught ut one cast Of the nct,' said Mr..
Thomas, ''hut thirty or forty dozen is
an average big catch. Sometimes
there Will be only dozen or so. l
have seen the net lifted up on the
wings oftho pigeons until it bcllied out
| like a balloon. \ number of pigeons
toward the edge arc apt to get out, but
the men arc quick, and work around
the edges, slowing the birds in crates
rs fast as they get thom out, and roll
! ing the not up as they work in, until
they have got all tho pigeons, when
he net is set again for another cast.''
Tho pigeons are caught on water
beds us we'll es on feeding grounds. "A
water bed is made by filling an cxcava-
ton with water. The pigeons on their
way home from feeding will stop to
drink, and are caught under the nets
Some times salt is used. '.This sea-
son." said Mr.. Thomas, "thc :corns
were so plentiful that the birds did
not have to search for feeding grounds
and did not dccoy we'll. The water
beds did not draw we'll, either, as they
had the Canada river, the water of
which is alkaline, SO that salt also had
no attractions for them. We caught
river AS they would settle down for
stones to put in their crops to grind up
the acorns.''
Pigeons arc mcthotlical in their
habits in these great roosts. Early in
the morning the Tom Hisht occurs
This is composed of the male birds on
their way to the feeding grounds.
When thcy have fed and drank, they
return to the nests, and the female
birds so to feed. The hen flight takes
place between and 9 o'clock. In the
afternoon there is another Tom flight,
flight. The birds stop for gravel or
wafer on their way HON" from feed
ing.
The crates in which the birds are
put when caught are simply large flat
coops. Tho ncttcrS arc spread over an
Every evening The teams make a round
and collect all the crates. Ut is now
necessary TO set the birds "on their
feed, or else they will die. They arc
put in pens and given corn to eat, with
plenty OF water to drink. For several
siays after they ar" captured they will
hardly cat at All, and it is only after
they have become accustomed to the
change that they can be again Grated
and Sliipprd- Two men travel in the
ear, and the pigeons are regularly fed
and Wat"rrh. The car load which ar
rived on Saturday night was shipped
on Thursday morning, and the birds
were fed and watcrcd four times while
| en- route.
Pigeons nest four times 4 season.
having one egg to a nest. cone re-
suit OF the inaccessible nature OF the
locality of this years rooSt,' said Mr..
Thomas, .sis that the increase is larger
than over known before. Tho num-
bcr Of sIuab3 killed and pigeons net
ted is insignificant in comparison with
| the number Matched out. There are
millions OF them there"
! These wild pigeons are smaller than
the domestic pigeon. Their plun,agc
| is Il mixture Of slate and gray. They
have long tail feathers, and arc birds OF
| far quicker ana stronger tiight than or
dinary pigeons. The pigeons now
pcnncd near J"rsuy City viii be used
in the pigeon shooting tournament at
! Conry Island next week.
| boston seems determined 10 hav" the
! Is