The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-05-21
WHERE THE CROWS BOOST.
Scenes at a Rookery-Habits of the
Sable-coated Bird-Night Time.


Sable-coated Bird-Night Time.
From the Scientific american.
The first of these two rookeries is stu
ated about two miles east of Syracuse, n.
Y, in a woods known as ''Tamarack
Swamp" and lying between the Central
and West Shore tracks. The second is stu
ated in Arlington cemetery at Washington.
Both rookeries are nearly equal in size the
one at Syracuse covering about fifteen
acres ana that at Arlington from ten to
twelve.
A visit to these roosts in the day time is
interesting in the extreme, while another
paid at dusk when the birds are coming in
Is even more so. Shortly after daybreak
the vast throng Of black bestirs itself; first
| q loud clamor betokens that the birds are
awake; then, with a 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 feeding grounds.
After they are gone the roost
is a sight indeed On every hand the
trees and ground beneath are literally COW
cred with the excreta of the birds, having
much the appearance of having been plenti-
fully despatched with whisewash. The air
is foul with the Odor, mingled with that of
the putrefying bodies of tho 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, emacated
or otherwise disabled to participate in the
flight. These are rerdily approached, and
are often to be caught in the hands.
A drive through the surrounding country
will now give glimpse of their daily life
during winter. Anywhere and everywhere
they may be seen, each i'll search of that
which alone will sustain life, but with the
usual frozen condition of the ground this,
as a rule. is difficult TO obtain. Up to about
3 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, 1t 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 fioclls, tarrying at
times at some near at hand feeding grounds,
but soon seeking the vicinity of the
roost. Strangely enough, instead of repair
ing 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 in
crease until the fields, the trees and the
fences are covered with them. Long after
INC sun ldQ SET lDey continued TO arrive
The noise is deafening, and when at times
they rise and circle about in the air it
seems as if the heavens were about to fall.
AS darkness begins to settle, first few of
the holder ones enter the roost. These are
followed by small punches of fifty or so,
and these in turn by other companies inter-
spersed with stragglers. Suddenly, with
noise as of hurricane, a vast host arises
and makes dive for the roost. These are
plOSelU followed nv another and still IN
other, until finally the numbers on the hill
sides begin to show some signs of thinning
out
As the darkness deepens they come in
any way; down they come pell nell, brush
ing past the face, almost flying against one,
aiighting on the first branch they strike
against for they are almost unable to see,
and it is amusing to see hundreds Hopping
about waiting for luck to throw a 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
arrived, and are busy settling themselves
for the night. Utter now but so much as a
syllable, and the entire army with renewed
cries, and in the direst confusion, take wing
and seek another part of the woods, only to
renew the performance should the opera
ton be repeated. | have never vet re-
manned in roost long enough to ascertain
whether or not the birds became absolutely
nuiat