Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1885-05-14
A GREAT CROW ROOST.
A Hilnon COrH-Stealers Capture the
woods and Astonfsh the Natives.


M1llion COrH-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 this county, was chopping in
The woods abou1 halfway up the
mountain on Thursday last, he was
attracted by flock of crows which
appeared suddenl y from a southern
direction and alighted in high tree
a hundred yards away. After great
deal OF loud cawing the flock arose
and flew away in the direction from
which hey 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
southward, and saw that the sky was
black with some approaching object.
In few minutes he discovered that
IL was an immense flock OF crows,
which soon swept into the Knob
woods, and with a thunder of wings
and deafening clamor Of throats set
tied down into the trees, whose lifeless
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 a space of more than forty
acres was covered so thickly with
them that big branches were spit
from the trees beneath their weight.
1t was nearly dark when the last
flock found 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 out 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 commotion all through the
woods, vociferous cawing and flap
ping of wings being kept up for some
minutes Then other focks would go
cut, to be met with the same hUbbub
on then 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 number of the
natives agreed that II would be a 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 a great deal
of future loss to oornfelds. Accor-
dinghy, party of seven, armed with
guns ann poles, and 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
100000 crows. The yell was followed
by hundreds of the birds boldly at
tacklng the invading party, using
both beak and claw with such effect
that the surprised backwoodsmen were
forced to flee to save themselves
They were followed to the edge of the
woods by focks of infurlated crows,
and not a shot was fired nor crow
killed.
On Monday morning for tke first
time not flock left the woods, but all
was hustle, commoiion and noise
among the crows. The enti1e colony
seemed to be in motion among the
trees. Grows was darting in all
directions, uttering peculiar cries, and
evidently anxious to be- every where
, 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 dis
appeared and none came back. This
scene ID the piece of woods tdey had
occupied is described 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 whirlw 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, ike wild
pigeons, gather some where about the
country TO do tneir courting 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 focks Of twenty or SO, and, after
they bid each other good-by, leave for
the respective nesting places made for
them. Last Monday forenoon, when
there was such a commotion among
the crows on the Knob, they were
taking leave of one another. There
will probably never be another roost
n this part of the country. Next
year It may be in Kentucky"