The Warner sun. (Warner, Brown Co., Dakota [S.D.]) 1885-1???, 1888-06-29

btteuNAhS AuhGftCAus
The first Of these two rookeries is
lsitnabed about rwo miles east Of
Syracuse, N. X. in a woods known as
"Tamarack swamp" and lying be-
tween the Central ard West Shore
tracks. The second is situated in
Arlington Cemetery at Washington.
Both rooEeries are nearly equal in
size, the one at Syracuse covering
about fifteen acres and that ct Ar
lington from ten TO twelve.
A visit to these roosts ia the day
time is interesting in the extremee
while another paid at dusk when the
birds are coming in IS even more o
Shortly after daybreak Abe vast
throng OF black bestirs itself; first q
loud clamor betokens that the birds
are awake; then, with q shake or two,
they launch forth in quest Of the
mornings breakfast. Leaving sineIy,
in pairs, by dozens and In ilocks 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 rest is 8
sight Indeed. On avery hand the
trees and ground beneath are literal
ly covered with tho excreta OF the.
birds, having much the appearance Of
having been plentifully despatched
with whitewash.
Tla nt- ID f1N,4 .,sLG AZ. 1q.x. 49, &
gled with THAI OF the putreiyiag
bodies of the dead ones that here and
there dot the snow, while among the
branches as we'll as on the ground
are numbers OF individuals too weak.
emaciated, or otherwise disabled to
participate in the flight. These are
readily approached. and are often to
be cRught ia their hands.
A drive through the surrounding
country will now give q glimpse OF
their daily life during winter. Any
where and everywhere they may be
seen, each in search of that which
alone will sustain life, but with the
usual frozen condition OF the ground
this, as q rule, is diiiicult to obtain.
Up TO about three O'Clock the birdH
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 10 Wis
it the roost again ct niQhtfall end
watch them come in. At the hour
above mentioned they began 10 ar
rive either singiy or in hocks. tarrying
at times at some neag-at-hand feeding
grounds, but soon seeking the vicini-
instead OF repairing at once to their
nights resting place theygather III inn
mense multitudes On the surrounding
hills; coming, AZ 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 had set they con-
tlnued to arrive. The noise Is deafens
ing, and when at times tney rise and
circle about in the air it seems as IL
the heavens themselves were about to
fall. AS darkness begins to settsa,
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 inter-
spersed with stragglers. Suddenly, with
a noise as of a hurricane, a vast host
arises and makes q dive Tor the roost.
These are closely followed byanother.
ard still another, until finally the
numbers on the hillside begin to show
some SIGNS Of thinning out.
As the darkness deepens they come
in any way down they come bell
nell, brushing past the face, almost
flying against one, alig1tine on the
first branch they strike against for
they are now almost unabis to see.
and it is amusing to see hundreda
Topping about waiting for lick to
throw q branch in their wayl, often
within arms reach. Every tree and
branch seems packed with them. and
still they continue to pour down,6nd-
ing q roosting place somewhere, and
adding clamor to the deafenlslg Babel
already existing. Finally an appear
to have arrived, and are busy SEEDING
themselves for the NIGHT. Utter now
but SO much az. a syllable, and The
entire army With renewed cries. and
IN the direst confusion. take wing ana
seek another part OF the woods. only
TO renew the performance should the
operation be repeated. / have never
as yet remained IN a rooat long
enough to ascertain whether Or NOT
birds became absolutely quiet.