the Wild Pigeon of America. 263 



the ground, killing hundreds of those which obstructed their 

 fall, forcing down other equally large and heavy groupes, 

 and rendering the whole a scene of uproar and of distressing 

 confusion. I found it quite useless to speak, or even to shout 

 to those persons nearest me. The reports even of the differ- 

 ent guns were seldom heard, and I knew only of their going 

 off by seeing the owners re-load them. 



No person dared venture within the line of devastation, and 

 the hogs had been penned up in due time, the picking up of 

 the dead and wounded sufferers being left for the next morn- 

 ing's operation. Still the pigeons were constantly coming, 

 and it was past midnight before I perceived a decrease in the 

 number of those that arrived. The uproar continued, how- 

 ever, the whole night ; and as I was anxious to know to what 

 distance the sound reached, I sent off a man, who, by his 

 habits in the woods, was able to tell me, two hours after- 

 wards, that at three miles he heard it distinctly. Towards 

 the approach of day the noise rather subsided ; but long ere 

 objects were at all distinguishable, the pigeons began to move 

 off in a direction quite different from that in which they had 

 arrived the day before, and at sunrise none that were able 

 to fly remained. The howlings of the wolves now reached our 

 ears, and the foxes, the lynx, the cougars, bears, rackoons, 

 opossums, and pole-cats, were seen sneaking off the spot, 

 whilst the eagles and hawks of different species, supported by 

 a horde of buzzards and carrion, crows, came to supplant them, 

 and reap the benefits of this night of destruction. 



It was then that I, and all those present, began our entry 

 amongst the dead and wounded sufferers. They were picked 

 up in great numbers, until each had as many as could pos- 

 sibly be disposed of ; and afterwards the hogs and dogs were 

 let loose to feed on the remainder. 



Persons unacquainted with these birds must naturally con- 

 clude, that such dreadful havoc must soon put an end to the 

 species ; but this is very far from being the case, for, by long 

 observation, I have satisfied myself, that, as they not unfre- 

 quently quadruple their numbers yearly, and always at least 

 double it, nothing but the gradual diminution of our forests 

 can accomplish their decrease. In 1805 I have seen schoon- 



