Connecticut western news., 1885-04-29
A GREAT CROW BOOST.
HOW THE BIRDS MAKE THINGS LIVE
 LY IN BUSHkILL, PA.
A Million Corn SteaIers Capture the Woods
 and AstOund the Natives.

A Million Corn steaIers Capture the Woods
 and AstOund the Natives.
 A letter from Bushkill, Pa., dated April 14th, says:-As Simon Trauel, a farmer, living near High Knob, in the southwestern portion of this county, was chopping in the woods about half way up the mountain on Thursday last, he was attracted by flock of crows which appeared suddenly from south ern direction and aighted in a high tree hundred yards away. After great deal of loud cawing the flock arose and flew away in the direction they had come. Trauel then went on with his work.
 About the middle of the afternoon, an hour after the crows had taken their departure, he happened to look south ward, and saw that the sky was black with some approaching object. In few minutes he discovered that it was o immense flock of crows, which soon swept into the Knob woods, and with thunder of wings and deafening clamor of throats settled down into the trees, whose leahess branches became black ened with the birds from top to bottom. For three hours flock after flock of crows poured into the woods, until the side of the hill for space of more than forty acres was covered so thickly with them that big branches were split from the trees beneath their weight. It was nearly dark when the last crow found resting place in the woods, and mid night came before quiet was restored in the vast congregation.
 The crows remained in the woods until last Monday. Early every morn ing flocks would start out from the col ony, taking different directions, and after being absent for an hour or so would one after another return. Their arrival was greeted with the widest commotion all through the woods, vo- ciferous cawing and Tapping of wings being kept up for some minutes. Then other focks would go out, to be met with the same hubbub on their return. The news of the great crow roost spread around the thinly-settled region, and people came from far and near to see and hear the crows.
 On Saturday a number of the natives agreed that it would be a good thing, now that they had apparently all the crows there were in the country within reach, to make nightly raids on them, and thus save great deal of future loss to cornfelds. Accordingly, a party of seven, armed with guns and long poles, and some of them carrying torches, be- gan the work of destruction. They reached the woods where the crows were sleeping about nine o'clock. The torches were lit, and the raiders entered the woods. They had not proceeded far when they were greeted with yell of defiance from 100, 900 crows. The yell was followed by hundreds of the birds boldly attacking the invading party, using both beak and claw with such effect that the surprised backwoodsmen were forced to flee 10 save themselves. They were followed to the edge of the woods by focks of infuriated crows, and not shot was fired nor crow killed.
 On Monday morning, for the first time, not flock left the woods, but all was hustle, commotion, and noise among the 'trees. Crows were darting in all directions, uttering peculiar cries, and evidently anxious to be everywhere at once. Just before noon matters became comparatively quiet, and then small focks began to emerge from the woods, going in all directions. This exodus continued until late in the afternoon, when every crow had disappeared, and none came back. The scene in the piece of woods they had occupied is de- scribed as remarkable. Every tree had one or more branches torn from it, and they lay piled about on the ground as if the trees had been swept by a whirl- wind. Every foot of ground was torn up, plainly by the crows searching for insects for food.
 "Every spring" says an old citizen of the village, "the crows, like wild pigeons, gather somewhere about the country to do their courting and mate. This spring they happened to select the High Knob, because the scouts they sent out liked it, and guided the rest to the spot. AS the love.making pro- gresses focks Of crows go out to select good nesting and foraging places. They come back to the roost and report, and grand discussion is had on that. After these matters are all settled, and every crow is mated, they form into f1ocks of twenty or so, and, after they bid each other good-by, leave for the respective nesting places selected for them. Mon day forenoon, when there was such a commotion among the crows on the Knob, they were taking leave of one an- other. There will probably never be another crow roost in this part of the country. Next year it may be in Ken