AUDUBON JOURNAL 



Friday December i^* 1820 



This Morning was Cold and Cloudy, Flocks of 

 Ducks Geese, &" flying High plentifully, all bound to 

 the Southwest — I remarked Large Flocks of Merganz- 

 ers, I Mean, The Large. These Birds seldom Leave, 

 the Clear Ohio or its tributary streams untill CompelH 

 by the Ice Closing most parts of them; their passing 

 southwardly so early indicates a severe winter above 

 us — A their Flight is Direct, regularly formed in Acute 

 Angles and so swift that one might suppose the noise 

 over head as proceeded from a violent storm of Wind 

 — Saw Early to day several Hundreds of Gull, play- 

 ing over a Large Barr — When We attempted to Close 

 on them, they rose high and off South — 4 White 

 headed Eagles where at the same time regalling them- 

 selves on the Carcass of a Deer — The sworms of Grakles 

 that are passing us is astonishing — the Purple Finches 

 also very Numerous saw several hundreds in one flock 

 — Where the Weather is Intensely Cold, scarcely a 

 Fowl is to be seen along the Banks, the ponds offering 

 themselves at that time food & Shelter Passed a Large 

 Settlement of Wood Cutters — M' Shaw killed 5 Geese 

 4 at one shot saw two Slate Colored Hawks, Falco Penn- 

 sylvanicus and a Winter Hawk. I went a shore to a 

 House about 5 Miles above Wolf River in a sharp 

 running Bend, saw 2 beautifull Trees the Pride of 

 China here the High Land is within 2 miles of the 



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