The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-04-24
BlRD mat rs DISAPPEARING.
The LSst wild Pigeon Roost in the East
Grcnt Destruction by Hunters.

III. Ina, yyua p,x.,, wo,.., ,n. r.,
9rent Dr.,ruc,iou bv uunter,.
"a .o,;,,rv so,t =, wild ,,,oo,s c,,,
var, nnssod ovor th. no,rart,,i no,,ntr,
n sn,Iivnn county last val, !" sa;5 NJ,
vorLar ,,h, ,r,sun q, th,t oo',,,r ~ .r,;nn th
an rlv trout r,Ii,y "ord th.t 10 tho act Con
thot hns hoon sa.,,, ,,,aroshnnt Tor ,.aass nu
- sta-+ad thn s,,i,ran .n,,,v ,voo5sn,"r !.
t,irin, about .ha ,r... n..s,n, -, .s,,a -, i.
cons ~ 1879 whic,, wos tho I,st ono ovar s. ,n
On yor rnet
"Tbc now:s q, th,s creot nic,on e,cbt Arc
como from thu vi,,og. ~ B,rnun,,s tho In 9
weel IN March 1sTr Tho nv sndaonIv Ia
came tbic, with n n n nnarentlv e,dIoss f,no, n
wild n,peona which voc pnssiny oyor Tim
mart If tbo country going rorthwarJ n,
ovar b,,f m n bour +ba eioht ,or+;r,nd 10 n,
incessnnt nroceseion ohstrnctinc nj, vinv a
tha atv and ,,vipo 70 tho snrrorndin,,s ~,
sombre nnnoor,nco couoe5 NV ,ho ontno.Sn
ond nossinr -, th,ndnr o,,nas - 49, 49,,
Known AT that Tina now N = Tho so,l. oxt"rIat
70 Tho eastw,rd hut q wns snhsonmnntI,
Iaorned thot q r.oo,ad 80 .rraI,,,
n,iIas T., n oont,,rnva I;ro nj. I'll,
wara a,;ro ton hi,h 70 - ,.a. ,..,.i
INV dncroa ~ snncsss oI,hou.h durin W." 49,
firbt nnmbers % them wsro ri,,nS hS
mnn.u.IIv fortn,ot. amnnors O,i h,.. y,
MI hat fha ntD
rao.s ~ ,.on ~, "i,;."1 .. .nn;s as. =
was n"t th.. than n ", s". ns. h ~
was not p,opap!e 'na' 'hey "ould res! snort OF
the Canadian forests. Two days afterward.
tS o"I paaui,, ns .h ron ane meaa"a1eFs OF
e anu ene 9s sni wo'Is oi inc
and Ulster Counties broueSe in ths that
thoss raoi,ns had b.an taian IN ,ossass,',n ~,
.nUse ieslons hau oeen uhen an possesslon Dy
were preparing for the hosting season.
"This new, lad to law.and. order snor+smen
from tho surrounding towns combining to
take measures to protect the birds from INV.
Les dastr,,.tIon Ti,a ,raaa, 800 go 40"
literally swarming with pigeons. Deputy
game constablcs were stationed in considora.
Bile force in tho wilderness. with orders to deal
the law would warrant. I.nnnrallcled snort
was anticipated 1or tho season after tho nest
Ing was over. but unfortunately severe weather
came on soon after the birds had begun their
that region. After the storm had
49, ot;aoa ,,nns,,"i 80 NN "oTuo-
mon noticed an unusual and peculiar
Stir among non the birds throughout tho
0nn ~ nnou ~ tho o,t, " do 'ne . nreae roost.
tnta ~ .mo th uay vi tneIa eom;ns
'';saor ,rns - $500 T., ~ low o 1890 w..
~, ""o w w Aoue ~ ."9 ~ o.'.'o 'oii'oi''
l.f.y new almost dye west That same day.
and Isaac Bennett w9odehoppers and bark
peelers, were In the depths OF tho Pocono
beech woods. then vast forest covering large
areas IN piEe. Wayne. LuZerne. and Monroe
q me sSn was Shipping
. dark cloud. and noise like that produced by
Q gallo OF wind or the roll OF distant thunder
broke On their cars: g., spontaneously the woods
began hlilng with wild pigeons. Tree aftertree
apparently inte,minable mass OF birds. The
pigeons settled down IN the trees in such num-
pers mat great branches broke beneath their
Welght ana TINS occurring on every hand
throuGh 1he woods was ike o. windfa IL In the
forest The two men did not know where the
pigeons nag come from 80 suddenly. but when.
20 course OF Time. tne news OF their presence
IN tne fenns!Nahla wilderness reached Sulli-
van county. people there knew that the pigeons
we're the ones that had been driven from tho
6SeaverRlli county by the great snow storm.
nearest point IN tho Pennt ylvanta woods
where tho birds rested after their flight from
NSeW iGrk stare Is iorty-nve miles from the
pigeons must have ilown nearl mile q min
ute 10 changing their resting place.
After the nrst excitement attending the
appearance OF the vast colony Of wild pigeons
nett true to the instinct Of the human race.
guns with them: but with long poles they, slow
the swarminG pigeons by the hundred. Every
sweep VI q club laid scores Of the birds dead
dropped down to take their places, According
10 their own story. the two men kept up this
ruthless and entirely wanton destruction u
aud. after they loaded themselves down with
as many of the dead birds as they could carry.
they LETT hundreds OF dead and wounded on