The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1881-06-25
VOL. XVI.-NO. 80.

ed, but most of the way the road is pretty
level. 1t took wagon about three days
to make the trip from the roost to Atoka.
"The roost is the largest l have ever
seen. The country there is thickiy grown
over with what they call post oak timber,
from the fact, suppose, that tree trunks
are just about post size. The acorns are
so abundant that it is splendid feeding
ground for them. | went into the roost
for about ten miles without finding any
signs of an end. Every tree was thick
with pigeons, the branches bending down
with their weight When the birds have
been coming home from the feedinggrounds
in the evening | have seen a stream about
mile broad flow through the air for two
hours thick enough to hide the sun, and
making noise like thunder. / should
judge the roost to be about twenty miles
long and fifteen broad.
"There has been little or no shooting,
and that has been good thing for us, as
shooting makes the birds scarry and harder
to trap. There is plenty of deer and turk
eys on the reservation, and the Pottawat.
tonnes do not care for pigeons, so they do
not hunt in the roost. The Indians we're
very friendly, and some of them are work
ing for st. Louis firm that are catching
squads and shipping them to market.
Men go about with poles punching the
squads out of their nests. They are pack
ed in barrels with ice, and sent to all the
large cities as far north as Boston. My
business was altogether with the live pig
cons, which We caught in nets"
Mr.. Thomas explained the methods of
the trappers. The nets used will cover a
space Of 40 feet by 80. One end of the
net is fastened to a rope, which is drawn
taut, so that when let go the net is thrown
out like an arrow, falling upon the pigeons
that have gathered in front of it. The
pigeons are generally caught on their feed
ing grounds or their water beds. When
good feeding ground is located the nets
are set, and the trapper puts himself in a
hut Of boughs at one end of the net line.
Pigeons are saved from one season to an
other for use as dceoys. When flock of
pigeons is seen coming, pigeon is thrown
up in the air to attract the attention of the
flock, the bird being pulled down again
with string. This bird is called the fly
er. Another deeoy bird called the stool
pigeon is made use of at the same time.
He is tied to perch on the free end of
strip of iron band about four feet long.
As the flock approaches a string is pulled
which makes the spring bounce him up
and down, aud he flaps his wings to keep
his balance. lie presents the appearance
to the approaching flock of bird lowering
over feeding ground, and they settle
down around him.
chow many pigeons have you caught at
one time?" the reporter asked.
Il once saw sixty-seven dozen caught at
one cast of the net" said Mr.. Thomas.
"but thirty or forty dozen is an average
big catch. Sometimes there will be only
dozen or So have seen the net lifted
up on the wings Of the pigeons until it
bellied out like balloon. a number of
pigeons toward the edge are apt to get
out, but the men are quick, and work
around the edges, slowing the birds in
crates as fast as they get them out, and
rolling the net up as they work in, until
they have got all the pigeons, when the
net is set again for another cast"
The pigeons are caught on water beds
as well as on feeding grounds. A water
bed is made by filling an excavation with
water. The pigeons on their way home
from feeding viii stop to drink, and are
caught under the nets. Sometimes salt is
used. This season" said Mr.. Thomas,
the aeorns were so plentiful that the birds
did not have to search for feeding grounds
and did not deeoy well. The water beds
did not draw well, either, as they had the
Canada River, the water of which is aka
line, so that salt also had no attractions for
them. We caught the most on gravel
beds along the river as they would settle
down for stones to put in their crops to
grind up the acorns"
Pigeons are methodical in their habits
in these great roosts. Early in the morn
ing the Tom fight occurs. This is com
posed of the male birds on their way to
the feeding grounds. When they have
fed and drunk, they return to the nests,
and the female birds go to feed The hen
flight takes place between and O'Clock.
In the afternoon there is another Tom
fight, and toward evening another hen
fight. The birds stop for gravel or water
on their way home from feeding.
The crates in which the birds are put
when caught are simply large fat coops,
The meters are spread over an area of
twelve or fourteen miles. Every evening
the teams make round aud collect all the
crates. 1t is now necessary TO get the
birds ''on their feed, or elso they will die.
They are put in pens and given corn to
eat, with plenty of water to drink. For
several days after they are captured they
will hardly eat at all, and it is only after
they have become accustomed to the
change that they can be again Grated and
shipped. Two men travel in the car, and
the pigeons are regularly fed and watered.
The ear load which arrived on Saturday
night was shipped on Thursday morning,
and the birds were fed and watered four
times while on route.
Pigeons nest four times season, having
one egg to nest. "0ne result Of the in
accessible nature of the locality of this
years roost, said Mr. Thomas, sis that
the increase IS larger than ever known be-
fore, The number of squads killed and
pigeons netted is Insignificant in SOmpari,
son with the number hatehed out. There
are millions of them there.
These wild pigeons are smaller than the
domestic pigeon. Their plumage IS a
mixture of slate and gray. They have
long tail feathers, and are birds of far
quicker and stronger fight than ordinary
pigeons.
The danger of violent exercise is illus
trated in the case of Prof, Cannon, Gin
cinnati athlete He was formerly . pow
erful man, and had abnormally developed
his muscles as director Of gymnasium.
His health failed suddenly year ago, and
now he is dying of consumption. He
firmly believes that his decline was caused
by blow in the chest, and has broUgAt q
suit for damages against the man who
struck him; but the medical Testimony all
agrees that he developed the disease be,