The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1885-05-14
$l.5O Per Year.
A GREAT CROW R0OST.
Millions OF oorn-stealers Who Ass
tonish the Natives.
Ono Hundred Thousand Crows Mako the
Pennsylyanla Woods Vocal With
Their Inharmonious Craving
Tho Mating Season.
mnahkilI lpa.l speoIal.l

Az Simon Trauel. farmer, living near
High Knob, In tho southwestern part OF
this county, was ohoppng In the woods
about half way up the mountaln on Thurs.
day last, no WA attracted by flock OF
crows which appeared suddenly from
southern dreo ton and allghted In high
tree n hundred yards away. After
great deal OF loud eawing tho flock aross
aud asw away In the direction from which
they had come Trauol then won't on with
his work.
About tho middle OF the afternoon, an
hour after tho crows had takon their de-
parturo, ho happened 10 look south ward,
and saw that tho sky was black with some
approaching object In u few minutes he
discovered that II was an immense mock
OF crows, which aoon swept Into tho Knob
woods, and with thund n OF wings and
deafonlng clAmor Of throats settled down
Into tho trees, whose leaness branches Boz
came blackened with tho birds from top 70
bottom. For three hours look after hock
OF crows poured Into tho woods, until the
side OF tho hill for n space OF moro Than
forty acres was covered 30 hlckly with
them that big branches were split from the
treos beneath their weight II was nearly
dark whom tho last flock found resting
place In tho woods, and midnight came
before auet was restored In tho vast oons
gregatlon.
The crows remained In tho woods unth
last Monday. EARLY every morning Hooks
would start out from tho colony, taking
different directions, and after being ab"
bont for an hour or 30 would ono after am
other return. Tholr arrival was crested
with tho widest commotlon all through
tho wooda, voclferoua eawng ana Mapping
OF wings being kept up for some minutes.
Then other hooka would 20 out, TO DO mos
with tho Same hubbub on their return
Tho news OF tho great crow rooat spread
around tho thinly settled region, and poo-
pie camo from far and near 70 800 and
hear tho crown,
On Saturday number OF tho natives
agreed that II would be good thing, now
that thoy had apparently all tho crows
thoro we're In tho country within roach, 70
mako nightly raids on thom, and thus save
a great deal OF future loss 10 oornheldA
Accordingly, n party OF seven, armod with
xuna and long poles, and some OF them
carrying torches, began tho work OF do
Itructlon They reached tho woods whore
tho crows were sleeping about nino O'CLOCK
The torches we're III, and tho raiders on.
tered tho wooda They had not prooeoded
far whom they woro greeted with yoli or
defiance from 100000 crows Tho yell was
followed by hundrods OF tho birds boldly
attacking tho invading party, using both
beak and claw with such effect that the
surprlaed baokwoodamen woro forced 10
nee 10 aaye themselves. They were fol.
lowed 10 tho edge OF tho woods by AookS OF
lnfuriated crows, and not shot was hred
nor crow killed.
On Monday morning for tho first time
not nock left tho woods, but all was bus-
tlo, commotion, and noise among hs
crows Tho entlro colony aocmod 10 be In
motion among tho trooa Grows were
darting In all directions, uttcring peculiar
crIoa and evidently anxious 10 DO ovory.
whore at once just before noon mattors
became compare lively qulct, and thon
small nocks began 70 emerge from the
woods, going In all directions This oro-
dua continued until lato In tho afternoon,
whom oyory crow had disappeared, and
mono came back. Tho scono In tho piooo
OF woods thoy had occupied 10 described
a. remarkable. Every trcc had ono or moro
branches torn from II, and they lay piled
about on tho ground M II tho rcos had
boon swept by whIrlwind. Every foot
OF rround was torn up, plainly BY the
crows searching for inaocta for food.
"Evory spring." says an old ellison OF
this village, "tho crows, llko Wild pigeons,
gather somewhere about tho country 10 do
thor courtlng and mate. This spring thoy
happened TO select tho High Knob, boz
cause tho scouts they Scnt out TO gce .
place for them likod II, and guided the
rest 10 tho spot "A tho loyc'mnklng
progresses, Hooka OF crows go out TO sclccb
good nesting and foragIng places. They
come back 10 the roost and report, and q
grand discussion IL had on that. After
these matters are all scttl d, and every
crow Ia mated, thoy form into aocks Of
twenty or 10, and, after thoy bid oaoh oth-
or good.by, leave for tho respective ncsb-
ing places aoocted for thom, Last Mon-
day forenoon, whom thoro was such come
mo lon among tho crows on tho Knob, they
woro taking leave Of ono another, There
will probably never DO another crow roost
In this part Of tho country. Noxt year 10