Wichita eagle., 1888-06-10
WHERE THE CROWS BOOST.
Scenes at Eockery-Habits of the Sable
Coated Bird-Night Time

Scenes at Eockery-Rabits of the Sable
Coated Bird-Night Time.
The first of these two rookeries is stu.
ated about two miles east of Syracuse.
! n. Y, in woods known as "Tamarack
swamp, and lying between the Central
and West Shore tracks. The second is
situated in Arlington cemetery, at Wash
ington. Both rookeries are nearly equal
in size, the one at Syracuse covering
about fifteen acres and that at Arlington
from ten to twelve.
| A visit TO these roosts in the DAYTIME
| is interesting in the extreme while an
/ other paid at dusk when the birds are
| coming in is even more so. Shortly
after daybreak the vast throng of black
/ bestlrS itself; first loud clamor betokens
/ that the birds are awake. then with q
shake or two they launch forth in quest
OF the mornings breakfast. Leaving
singly, in pairs, by dozens and in focks
Of hundreds, each group wings its way
to where the previous days meals were
secured. or starts in search of new feed
ing grounds. After they are gone the
roost is sight indeed. On every hand
: the trees and ground beneath are liter
ally covered with the eXcreta of the
birds, having much the appearance of
having been plentifully despatched with
whitewash. The air is foul with the odor
mingled with that of the putrefying
bodies of the dead ones that here and
there dot the snow, while among the
branches as well as on the ground are
numbers of individuals too weak. ema-
ciated or otherwise disabled to partici-
pate in the daily flight. These are
readily approached, and are often to be
caught in the hands.
A drive through the surrounding coun-
try will now give glimpse of their daily
life during winter. Anywhere and
everywhere they may be seen, each in
search of that which alone VIII sustain
life, but with the usual frozen condition
of the ground this, as rule, is difficult
to obtain. Up to about 8 o'clock the
birds are busy feeding. and the average
person would hardly believe that within
an hour or even less these same birds
will be miles away, and in company with
tens of thousands of the same species.
Having traced them through their daily
wanderings, it is in order to visit the
roost again at nightfall and watch them
come in At the hour above mentioned
they began to arrive either singly or in
fiocks, tarrying at times at some near at
hand feeding grounds, but soon seeking
the vicinity of the roost. Strangely
enough. instead of repairing at once to
their nights resting place, they gather
in immense multitudes on the sur
rounding hills: coming as they do
from all quarters of the country,
the numbers increase until the fields, the
trees and the fences are covered with
them. Long after the sun has set they
continued to arrive. The noise is deaf
ening, and when at times they rise and
circle about in the air it seems as if the
heavens themselves were about to fall
AS darkness begins to settle, first a few
of the bolder ones enter the roost.
These are followed by small punches
of fifty or so, and these in turn
by other companies interspersed with
stragglers. Suddenly, with a noise as of
hurricane, a vast host arises and makes
a dive for the roost. These are closely
followed by another, and still another,
until finally the numbers on the hill
sides begin to show some signs of thin
ming out.
As the darkness deepens, they come in
any way; down they come pell nell,
brushing past the face, almost flying
against one, alighting on the first branch
they strike against for they are now
almost unable to see, and it is amusing
to see hundreds Hopping about waiting
for luck to throw branch in their way,
often within arms reach. Every tree
and branch seems packed with them, and
still they continue to pour down, finding
a roosting place somewhere and adding
clamor to the deafening babel already
existing. Finally all appear to have ar
rived, and are busy settling themselves
for the night. Utter now but SO much
as syllable, and the entire army with
renewed cries, and in the direst confu-
sion, takes wing and seeks another part
of the woods, only to renew the perform
ances should the operation be repeated.
l have never as yet remained in a roost
long enough to ascertain whether or not
the birds became absolutely quiet.-E.
NJ. Hasbrouck in Scientific American.