Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1885-05-08
A GREAT CROW ROoST.
A Million Corn-SteaIers Capture the
Woods and Astonish the Natives.

New York Sun
AS Simon Traul, a farmer, living
near High Knob, in the southwestern
part of tins county, was chopping in
The woods about halfway up the
mountain on Thursday last, he was
attracted by a flock of crows which
appeared suddenly from southern
direction and alighted in S high tree
a hundred yards away. After great
deal of loud cawing the flock arose
and flew away in the direction from
which they had come Traul 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
southwark, and saw that the sky was
black with some approaching object.
In few minutes he discovered that
1t was an immense flock OF crows,
which soon swept into the Knob
woods, and with thunder Of wings
and deafening clamor of Threats set
tied down into the trees, whose Efeless
branches became blackened 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.
1t was nearly dark when the last
flock found a resting place in the
woods, and midnight came before
quiet was restored In the vast congre>
CATION.
The crows remained in the woods
until last Monday. Early every morn
ing focks would start cut from the
colony, taking different directions,
and after being absent for an hour or
so would one after another return.
Their arrival was greeted with the
widest commotioa all through the
woods, vociferous cawing and flap
ping of wings being Kept up for some
minutes. Then other fiocks would go
out, to be met with the same hIbbub
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 rumber of the
natives agreed that it would be good
thing, now that they had apparently
all the crows there were ia the country
within reach, to make nightly raids
on them, and thus save great deal
of future loss to cornfelds. Accor-
dinghy, party of seven, armed with
guns ann poles, aud some of them
carrying torches, began the work of
destruction. They reached the woods
where the crows were sleeping about
9 o'clock. The torches were lit. and
the raiders entered the woods. They
had not proceeded far when they were
greeted with a yell of defiance from
100, COO crows. The yell was followed
by hundreds of the birds boldly at
tscking the invading party, using
both beak ana claw with such effect
that the surprised backwoedsmen were
forced TO flee to save themselves.
They were followed to the edge of the
woods by focks of infurlated crows,
and not shot was fired nor a crow
killsd
On Monday morning for the first
time not flock left the woods, but all
was hustle, commotion and noise
among the crows. The entne colony
seemed to be in motion among the
trees. Crows was darling in all
directions, uttering peculiar cries, aNo
evidently anxious to be everywhere
at once. Just before noon matters
became comparatively quiet. and then
small flocks began to emerge from the
woods, going in all directions. This
exodus continued until late in the
afternoon, when every crow bad dis
appeared and none came back. This
scene in the piece of woods they mad
occupied is described as remarkable
Every tree had one or more branches
torn frem it, and they lay piled about
on the ground as if the trees had been
swept by whirlwlnd. Every foot Of
ground was torn up, plainly by the
crows searching for insects for food.
Every spring" says an old citizen
of this village, "the crows, like wild
pigeons, gather some where about the
country to do their counting and mate
This spring they happened to select
the High Knob, because the scouts
they sent out to get place for them
liked is, and guided the rest to the
spot. As the love making progresses
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 fol
the respective nesting places made fol
them. Last Monday forenoon, when
there was such commotion among
the crows on the Knob, they were
taking leave of one another. There
will probably never be another roost
in this part of the country. Mex
year it may be in Kentucky"