The Passenger Pigeon 35 



heard it distinctly when three miles distant from the 

 spot. Toward the approach of day, the noise in some 

 measure subsided, long before objects were distinguish- 

 able, the pigeons began to move off in a direction quite 

 different from that in which they had arrived the even- 

 ing before, and at sunrise all that were able to fly had 

 disappeared. The bowlings of the wolves now reached 

 our ears, and the foxes, lynxes, cougars, bears, rac- 

 coons, opossums, and pole-cats were seen sneaking off, 

 whilst eagles and hawks of different species, accom- 

 panied by a crowd of vultures, came to supplant them 

 and enjoy their share of the spoil. 



It was then that the authors of all this devastation 

 began their entry amongst the dead, the dying and the 

 mangled. The pigeons were picked up and piled in 

 heaps, until each had as many as he could possibly dis- 

 pose of, when the hogs were let loose to feed on the 

 remainder. 



Persons unacquainted with these birds might natu- 

 rally conclude that such dreadful havoc would soon put 

 an end to the species. But I have satisfied myself, by 

 long observation, that nothing but the gradual diminu- 

 tion of our forests can accomplish their decrease, as they 

 not infrequently quadruple their numbers yearly, and 

 always at least double it. In 1805 I saw schooners 

 loaded in bulk with pigeons caught up the Hudson 

 River, coming into the wharf at New York, when the 

 birds sold for a cent apiece. I knew a man in Penn- 



