The Lebanon express. (Lebanon, Linn County, Or.) 1887-1898, 1890-10-17
WHERE The CROWS RoosT.
Scenes at n Rookery-Habfts OF the Sa
bIe-coated Bird--Sight Time


The first of these two rookeries is
situated about two miles east of Syra-
euse. n Y, in a woods known as
.sTamarack Swamp and lying be-
tween the Central aud West Shore
tracks. The second is situated in Ar
lington Cemetery at Washington 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 10 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 loud
clamor betokens that the birds are
awake; then with a mighty 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 have
gone the roost is sight indeed. On
every hand the trees and ground be-
meath are literally covered with the
exereta of the birds, having much the
appearance of having been plentifully
| bespattered with whitewash. The air
| is foul with the odor mingled with that
1 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 indiyi-
duals too weak, emaciated, or other
wise disabled TO participate in the
fight. These are readily approached.
and are often 10 be caught in the
hands.
A drive through the surrounding
country will now give a glimpse of
their daily life during winter. Any
where and everywhere they may be
seen. each in search of that which alone
sustains life. but with the usual frozen
condition of the ground this. as rule,
| is difficult to obtain. Up to about
O'Clock the birds are busy feeding, and
| the average person would hardly be-
lieve that within an hour or even less
| these same birds viii be miles away.
| and in company with tens of thousands
| of the same species. Having traced
them in their daily wanderings. it is in
| order to visit the roost again at night
fall and watch them come in. At the
hour above mentioned they begin to
arrive either singly or ir foeks, tar
rying 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
I Il. Il q L cd cot
they continued to arrive. The noise j:
desfening, and when at times they rise
and circle about in the air it seems al
if the heavens themselves were about
to fall. AS darkness begins to settle
first few of the bolder ones enter tbs
roost. These are followed by small
punches of fifty or so, and these in turI
by other companies interspersed Will
sragglers- Suddenly, with a nois'
| as of a hurricane, a vast host arise
and makes dive for the roost- Thes'
are closely followed by another, ant
still another, until finally the numbers
on the hillsides begin TO show som
signs of thinning out.
As the darkness deepens they com
in anyway; down they come pell nell
brushing past the face, almost hyin:
against one, alighting on the hrs
branch they strike against Tor lney ar
) now almost unable to see, and it j
amusing to see hundreds Hopping abou
waiting for luck 10 throw branch i
their way), often within arms reach
Every tree and branch seems packe
with them, and still they continue t
pour down, finding a roosting plac
somewhere, and adding clamor I
the deafening babel already existing
Finally all appear to have arrived, an
are busy settling themselves for tn
night Utter now but so much as
: syllable, and the entire army with II
! newed cries. and in the direst conf
sion, take wing and seek another pal
! of the woods, only to renew the Pc
: formance should the operation be n
: peated. ] have never as yet RENAME
: in a roost long enough to ascertai
! whether or not the birds became al
J. solutely quiet Scientific american.