The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1883-11-15
MILLIONS OF SWALLOWS,
A Strange Sight Seen In n SmnII Suburban
Town.

In the little town Of Westerly, r. T.,
there has been annually occurring for
several years past n peculiar phcnomc-
non of great interest. The phenomenon
consists i'll the fact that millions of swal-
lows and other birds nrc accustomed
during each summer season to congre-
gate every night in n certain grove in
the town of Westerly, making the trees
their roosting place, and their move
ments Ms they como and go about this
resort afford basis for much comment
and speculation. When we first reached
the scene wo noticed several swallows
fitting here and there in tho air, but
about seven o'clock their number seemed
legion. One could think of nothing but
snow storm with largo black flakes
From tho pluinost outlines of the lowest
flying birds to tho mcrest black spccks
of the most aspiring wanderers, the pic
turewas that ofconstnntly moving, inter
minSling millions of little winged crca-
lures.
1t was sight never to be forgotten.
At times no two birds seemed to be fly
ing in tho snmo direction, though, as q
whole, the vast company would sway
from side to side above the grove.
| Agnin, group of hundreds would take
! n common direction, circling around the
inner circumference of the general COM
pony, now descending toward the tree
| tops with symmetrical Swoop, then
! rising in the mir till almost lost to view
| Then they would return TO the common
crowd and resume their separate courses
as before. The individual flyers would
tilt and joust with each other, or play at
cross-tag in the air. 1t was n constantly
moving kaleidoscope. All the while
new comcrs were still streaming in from
all quarters, and Mt 7:15 o'clock the
multitude had become dense. About
this time there was sudden cessation Of
the various flights, and n 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 cOnetantiy naIrowiL.' circle, and the
centre of tho mass was observed grad
ually to sink in funnel shape toward
the tree tops. Suddenly with almost
the rapidity Of Thought, tho whole host
vanished, oircling in the tree tops with n
whirrng of wings distinctly heard, and
soon the air was almost still, broken only
Dy INC BfcPll1B cllnpS OF inc now late.
comers, who were still struggling in in
small groups and singly. These last
arrivals did not pause to circle about in
the air, but flow III toward the grove rs
straight rs an arrow and vanished among
their settled brothers with lightning like
rapidity. AS we now drew still nearer
the edge of the grove the rustling anG
chirpiug Of the birds among the leaves
and branches as they settled themselves
in comfort for the night could be dis
timely heard.
TO say that tho cubic space occupied
by the birds in this nightly flying to anj
fro, after all have gathered, docs no
exceed 500 feet dimensions each way
and that, compressed into this space il
their close flight, the birds would no
exceed twenty-five in each 1,0O0 cubi
feet Of space Ncn feet each wayl is t,
make estimates which all who have seer
the birds will most certainly call wi II
in bounds; and yet these estimate
would givo a total Of at least 3, 1875, 90
| birds.