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A Crow Roost Near Richmond, Indiana. 



By D. W. Dennis and Wm. E. Lawrence. 



What is said in this paper about crows and their roosting is based 

 upon observations tali en by Professor Dennis and myself of one particu- 

 lar roost found about three miles south of Richmond, Indiana. 



Through the latter part of January, 1903, crows were noticed flying 

 in a direction about south by east in the evening and returning from the 

 same direction in the morning. The evening flight was from 3 to 5:30; 

 the crows were in flocks of from two or three or in a constant stream. 

 The principal line of flight was about one-half mile west of Richmond. 

 By actual count crows passed at tlie rate of one hundred or more in a 

 minute for more than two hours. They were often so numerous it was 

 impossible to count them. Judging from tliis there must have been at 

 least 15,000 crows which roosted at this place. By 7 o'clock in the morn- 

 ing nearly every crow had returned from the roost on its Avay to corn- 

 fields, etc., in search of food. 



Not far west of Richmond, in a small woodland, they stopped to rest 

 or for some other reason. I -have seen croAvs here by the thousand. It 

 was here at this resting station that very evident exemplification was 

 noted of their fear of man and their signaling to others following. 1 

 entered the woods and climbed a tree in order to watch better their 

 maneuverings; however, they were not so kind and not one flew over the 

 tree in which I was stationed. Repeatedly they flew at top speed in a 

 line directly overhead but ahvays, on discovering my presence, made a 

 quick turn, uttered a peculiar call and passed around. This call evi- 

 dently was a signal for those following to fly in like manner, because for 

 the next few minutes the line passed to one side. Then some crow, not 

 noting the signal, would appear coming directly towards me; but he never 

 failed to make the sudden turn, utter the call and fly around. 



This is more clearly brought out by "Driving the line." It was only 

 necessary to walk in a railroad cut under a line of flying crows and it 

 would bend around at a greater distance, the crows at the bend all the 



