The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1883-11-14
MILLIONS OF SWALLOWS.


In the little town of Westerly, II. l.,
there has been annually occurring for
several years past n peculiar phenome-
non Of great interest. The phenomenon
consists in the fact that millions Of swal-
lows and other birds are accustomed
during each summer season TO congre-
gate every night in certain grove in
the town of Westerly, making the trees
their roasting place, and their move
ments as they come and go about this
resort afford u basis for much comment
and speculation. When We first reached
the scene we noticed several swallows
fitting here and there in the mir, but
about seven o'clock their number seemed
legion. One could think of nothing but
Il snow storm with large black flakes.
From the plaiucst outlines Of the lowest
flying birds to the mcrcst black specks
of the most aspiring wanderers, the pic
turc was that ofconstantly moving, inter
mingling millions of little winged crea.
lures
1t was sight never to be forgotten.
At times no two birds seemed TO be fly
ing in the same direction, though, as n
whole, the vast company would sway
from eide to side above the grove.
Again, n group of hundreds would take
a common direction, circling around the
inner circumference Of the general COM
pany, now descending toward the tree.
tops with II symmetrical swoop, then
rising in the air TIL almost lest to view.
Then they would return TO the common
crowd and resume their separate courses
MS before. The individual flyers would
tilt aud joust with each other, or play ut
cross-tag in the air. 1t was Il constantly
moving kaleidoscope. All the while
new corners were still streaming in from
all quarters, and at 7;lj o'clock the
multitude had become dense. About
this time there was " sudden cessation Of
the various flights, and general circu-
lar motion of the whole company was
apparent Round and round in n broad
sweeping circle over the grove they flew
for several minutes, until all had Joined
in the common direction. Then they
began to draw closer and closer together
in constantly narrowing circle aud the
centre of tho mass was observed grad
ualIy to sink in funnel shape toward
the tree tops. Suddenly with almost
the rapidity OF thought, the whole host
vanished, circling in the tree tops with q
whining of wings distinctly heard, and
soon the air was almost still, broken only
by tho greeting chirps Of the now late.
corners, who were still struggling in in
small groups and singIy. These lust
arrivals did not pause to circle about in
the air, but flew in toward the grove us
straight ms an arrow and vanished among
their settled brothers with lghtning-like
rnpidity. AS we now drew still nearer
the edge of the grove the rustling and
chipping of the birds among the leaves
and branches AS they settled themselves
in comfort for tho night could he dis.
timely heard.
To say that the cubic space occupied
hy the birds in this nightly flying to AM
fro, after all have gathered, does no
exceed 500 feet dimensions each way
and that, compressed into this space il
their close fight, the birds would no
exceed twenty-five in each LOCO cubi
feet of space (ten feet each way is Il
make estimates which NIL who have seel
the birds will most certainly call wi h
in hounds; and yet these estimates
would give total of at least 3, 125, 600
lirds.