Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1885-05-02
A GREAT Cnow Ksosr.

BuEHKILL, Pa, April 4-As Simon
Transi, a farmer. living near High
Knob, 10 the southwestern part OF this
coanty. Vaa ehOpping 10 the woods
shout half wsy up the mountain on
Thursday last, be vas attracted By
fioek Of crows which appeared suddenly
from soathern diFeeiisn and aiighted
ia a high tree q hundred yards away.
After great deal of loud cawing, she
fiook arsss and few away in the diree-
tim from which thsy had come. IEanel
then went on with his YORK,
About the middle of the afternoon, an
hour after the crows bad taken their de-
parsure. be happened to look southwark
and saw that the skS vas black with
some approaching object. In a few
minutes he discovered that il vas an
immense flock of crows, which soon
swept into the Knob wood, and with q
thunder of gings and deafening clamor
Of threats settled down into the trees,
whose lsafisss branches became black
ened vita the birds from top TO bottom.
For three hours flock after flock OF
arrows poured into the woods, until the
side of the hill for space of more
than forty acres was covered 30 thickiy
from the trees beneath their weight. IL
was nearly dark when the last flock
found a resting place in the woods, and
midnight came before quiet was re-
stored in the vast congregation.
The crows remained in the woods IN
til last Monday. Early every morning
hocke would start out from the colony,
taking different directions, and aftsr
being absent an hour or 50 would one
after another return. Their arrival was
greeted vita tue widest e0Eamoti0n all
thFeueh the woods, vooiferous eawing
and Tapping Of wings being kept up for
some minutes. Then other docks weuli
20 out, to be met with the SINE hubbnb
on their return. Tue news of ths great
crow rOost spread around the thinly set
tied region, and people came from far
and near TO see and tissr the crows.
Ga Saturday zuuiber of the natives
agreed that IL would be good thing.
now that they had apparently ali the
crows there were in the csuntry within
reach. 10 make nightly raids on them,
aud thss save great deal of future loss
10 eorntields. Accordingly a party of
seven, armed with guns and long poles,
and some of thsm carrying toFoaes, be-
gan the work of destruction. Trey
reached the weeds where the crows
acre sleeping abont nine O'Clock. Tie
torches we're lit, and the raiders eStefed
the woods. They had not proceeded
tar when they were greeted with yell
IT defiance from 10000 crows. The
yell was followed by hundreds of the
birds boldly attacking the invading
party, using both beak aud claw with
such effect that the surprised back.
waodsmen we're forced to flee to save
themselves. They we're followed to the
edge of the woods by fiocks of infuria-
ted crows. and not shot Was fred nor
a crow killed.
On Monday morning, for the hrsi
time, not a flock lett the woods, but all
was hustle, commotion aud Noise
among the crows. The entire colony
seemed TO be in motion among the
trees. Crows we're darting in all diree-
lions, utterisg peculiar CRIES, and evi.
IDENTIFY anxious 10 be everywhere al
once. Just before noon matters be-
cane comparatively quiet, and then
small Hooks began to emerge from tie
woods. going In ell directions. This
exodus continued until late IN the az
ierno0n, when every crow had disap-
peared, and none eause back. The
scene IN the piece of woods they had
occupied 10 described as remarkable,
Every tree had one or more branches
torn from 1t, and they lay piled about
on the ground as II the trees had been
swept by q whirlwind. Every foot OF
ground was torn up. plainly By The
crows scratching for insects fer food.
Every spring." says an old citizen OF
this village, '.tbe crows, like viIS
pigeons, gather somewhere about the
country TO do their counting and mate
This spring they happened to select the
High Knob, because the scouts they sent
out 10 get place for them liked 1t, and
guided the rest 20 the SPOT. Astke love
making progresses fiocks OF crows "a
out to select good nesting and foraginp
places. They come back 20 the roosi
aad report, and grand discussion ID
had on that. After these matters are
all settled. and every crow Ia mated,
they fern into hocks of twenty or 50,
and, after they bid each other good by,
leave for the respective nesting places
selected for them. Last Monday fore
noon, when there was such a comm.
tioa among the crows on the Knob, they
were taking leave of one another. There
viii probably never be aaother crow
roost in this part OF the country. Nexl
year il may Be IN kentucky