3‘2 
DARWINISM 
CHAP. 
under these flying and fluttering millions, from the frequent 
fall of large branches, broken down by the weight of the 
multitudes above, and which in their descent often destroyed 
numbers of the birds themselves; while the clothes of those 
engaged in traversing the woods were completely covered 
with the excrements of the pigeons. 
“ These circumstances were related to me by many of the 
most respectable part of the community in that quarter, and 
were confirmed in part by what I myself witnessed. I passed 
for several miles through this same breeding-place, where 
every tree was spotted with nests, the remains of those above 
described. In many instances I counted upwards of ninety 
nests on a single tree ; but the pigeons had abandoned this 
place for another, GO or 80 miles oft - , towards Green 
River, where they were said at that time to be equally 
numerous. From the great numbers that were constantly 
passing over our heads to or from that quarter, I had no 
doubt of the truth of this statement. The mast had been 
chiefly consumed in Kentucky; and the pigeons,,every morn¬ 
ing a little before sunrise, set out for the Indiana territory, 
the nearest part of which was about sixty miles distant. 
Many of these returned before ten o’clock, and the great body 
generally appeared on their return a little after noon. I had 
left the public road to visit the remains of the breeding-place 
near Shelbyville, and was traversing the woods with my gun, 
on my way to Frankfort, when about ten o’clock the pigeons 
which I had observed flying the greater part of the morning 
northerly, began to return in such immense numbers as I never 
before had witnessed. Coming to an opening by the side of 
a creek, where I had a more uninterrupted view, I was 
astonished at their appearance : they were flying with great 
steadiness and rapidity, at a height beyond gunshot, in 
several strata deep, and so close together that, could shot 
have reached them, one discharge could not have failed to 
bring down several individuals. From right to left, as far as 
the eye could reach, the breadth of this vast procession ex¬ 
tended, seeming everywhere equally crowded. Curious to 
determine how long this appearance would continue, I took 
out my watch to note the time, and sat down to observe them. 
It was then half-past one ; I sat for more than an hour, but 
