Year: 1868

Great Grow Roost in Kentucky.


One Of the most remarkable sights
in Kentucky is the crow roost, seven
miles from Lexington, on the Danville
pike. The rooSt is so old that the
memory Of the oldest inhabitant Of
the blue grass region runneth not
to the contrary. Many years ago
the roost was nearer Lexington, but
as the trees were cut away the crows
moved southward, always seeking the
next piece Of timber. At the present
time there are no large forests in the
country near the city, and many pic
ces Of timber have been called into
requisition to lodge their black high
.nesses. Hundreds sleep in the open
field for want Of a limb, and the wran-
gle over a desirable bed in a tree-top
is something fearful, BY the amount
of cawiug and jawing done every
evening, we should think the question
of reconstructing the roost, or moving
it altogether, was under discussion
Whether the crows will ever abandon
their ancient rOo6t is a matter of
some doubt, out judging by the fact
that hundreds, if not to say thousands
have already given up the trees and
roost on the ground, we incline to the
| opinion that when there are no more
trees all will content themselves with
a bed on mother earth. A gentleman
who lives near the roost, and who has
house, was surprised one evening to
see it black with crows. For a time it
all went well, but the roost became
popular, and everything there was a
wrangle to see who would get it. AS
the desirable place would hold only a
few hundreds, and there were some
thousands who nightly applied for
/ lodgings, the noise and confusion be-
came intolerable. Sometimes in the


middle OF the night an overloaded
limb would break, aud then a battle


would ensue, lasting not unfrequently


until daylight. Tired out with the


din that banished the idea of sleep,
one night the old fellow and his son


sailed out with shot guns and slew
some hundreds of their annoying visi-


tors. Next morning the crows were





all gone, and returned no more to
that grove.


The other evening we drove out to
the roost, and witnessed a sight we
shall not soon forget. 1t was 4


o'clock when we arrived on the
ground, and already the crows had


begun to arrive. At sundown they


were coming from all directions, and


long lines continued entering the


woods from every quarter until dark


Each flock had its f1ier or leader, who


flew over the tree tops until he found


his rOOst, when the head of the col


umn lighted, the rest circling round


and winding themselves about the


chief Only a few crows would light


on the same tree where the leader


lighted, from which fact we judge he
is sort of autocrat with the com
mon herd, and that the persons who
slept on his tree were his royal fami


ly and crows high in authority in the
flock. Whether We imagined it OF
not, certain il is that on one tree on


ly two or three crows sat, who KEEP
up an incessant cawing, and ever.
now and then one would quit the tire,


anu AFTER dying 10 at approaching
flock, would return and apparently


report to an old fellow who sat OIL
the topmost branch, and never quit
ted his position, bnt kept tapping hi
wings and constantly grumbling abou
something. He may have been the


king of all the crow nation, and WI
regretted exceedingly that we did no
understand the crow language, so VIZ
t could report him correctly to you
many readers. At times the venera
BILE bird spoke in highly excited anC
t gutteral tone, ard, if we may be al
t lowed to Judge by his motions, he wa


considerable Of tyrant in his govern
mental affairs. The crows did no
2 seem afraid of US, and were evldentl,
: used to human visitors. We drov,


up quite close to trees bending be
: meath their weight, but these bird
r usually so shy, did not mind US mucl
4 until my companion initiated the ex
$ plosion of gun, when scene whicl


beggars description followed. In
q stantly cries arose from all parts ol
g the wood, and thousands of crow
: few into the air, circling round an
: round US, cawing vociferously. A
& times the noise was so great that, a
though sitting side by side in the bug
r gy, we had to speak loudly in orde
n to be heard by each other. Havin
e raised great distress among our blac


friends, we drove off, but for mile
Il .00I .Is 13l ,aIodra1 GiTT'