DELAWARE VALLEY ORNITHOLOGICAL CLUB. 35 



3. Bensnlem, Bucks Co., Pa. 



A roost accommodating a large number of Crows situated in 

 oak and other deciduous woods north from Eddington Station 

 and east of Byberry. Located and visited in winter of 1902-3 

 by Thomas D. Keim, who was informed by residents that the 

 roost had been in use for a number of years. Crows fly hither 

 from Woodbourne, Bucks Co., also from Holmesburg, and otlier 

 points down the river, and from New Jersej', crossing southwest 

 at Bristol, and at points between Beverly and Burlington; at 

 Rancocas the Ci'ows also fly to this roost. Dr. Joseph D. 

 Abbott writes that formerly at Bristol they flew the other way, 

 at evening crossing the river into New Jersey. This was prob- 

 ably at the time that the Hainsport roost was still in use, and 

 would indicate that the Crows forming the latter colony had 

 transferred their quarters to this spot. The Hainsi^ort roost 

 was visited by Mr. Rhoads, and a further account of it is ap- 

 pended, furnished by Mr. Thomas J. Beans. He writes as 

 follows : 



' ' The roost was located on the creek road and the Rancocas 

 creek. There were about sixty acres in the tract. It is now 

 cleared and farmed. It was a very large roost, and the evening 

 flights were from Pennsylvania, from the N. E. and S. E. 

 mainly, though they seemed to come at times froni every point 

 of the compass. You know Crows have a habit of alighting a 

 short distance from the roost before entering. They used, many 

 of them, to alight on our place, one mile away, and noisily dis- 

 cuss subjects of interest to Crows. Gunning parties would go 

 to the roost at night and shoot them in great numbers, and 

 finally drove them away. Whether they have an hereditary 

 dread of the locality I do not know, but save a few breeding 

 birds, no Crows are to be seen here, and there is no line of fly- 

 ing birds at evening." 



Dr. Charles C. Abbott, from his home south of Trenton, writes 

 under date of October 19, 1898, as follows; 



"The daily to-and-fro movement from roost to feeding-grounds 

 and return commences about September 15 here, and from my 

 point of view is eastward in the morning and westward in the 

 afternoon. As to hours, from dawn to 11 a. m. eastward, and 



