254 PASSENGER PIGEON. 



But the most remarkable characteristic of these birds is their associa- 

 ting together, both in their migrations, and also during the period of 

 incubation, in such prodigious numbers as almost to surpass belief ; and 

 ■which has no parallel among any other of the feathered tribes, on the 

 face of the earth, with which naturalists are acquainted. 



These migrations appear to be undertaken rather in quest of food, 

 than merely to avoid the cold of the climate, since we find them linger- 

 ing in the northern regions around Hudson's Bay so late as December ; 

 and smce their appearance is so casual and irregular ; sometimes not 

 visiting certain districts for several years in any considerable numbers, 

 while at other times they are innumerable. I have witnessed these 

 migrations in the Genesee country — often in Pennsylvania, and also in 

 various parts of Virginia, with amazement ; but all that I had then seen 

 of them were mere straggling parties, when compared with the congre- 

 gated millions which I have since beheld in our western forests, in the 

 states of Ohio, Kentucky, and the Indiana territory. These fertile and 

 extensive regions abound with the nutritious beech nut, which constitutes 

 the chief food of the Wild Pigeon. In seasons when these nuts are abund- 

 ant, corresponding multitudes of Pigeons may be confidently expected. 

 It sometimes happens that having consumed the whole produce of the 

 beech trees in an extensive district they discover another at the distance 

 perhaps of sixty or eighty miles, to which they regularly repair every 

 morning, and return as regularly in the course of the day, or in the 

 evening, to their place of general rendezvous, or as it is usually called 

 the roosting place. These roosting places are always in the woods, and 

 sometimes occupy a large extent of forest. When they have frequented 

 one of these places for some time, the appearance it exhibits is surpris- 

 ing. The ground is covered to the depth of several inches with their 

 dung ; all the tender grass and underwood destroyed ; the surface 

 strewed with large limbs of trees broken down by the weight of the 

 birds clustering one above another ; and the trees themselves, for thou- 

 sands of acres, killed as completely as if girdled with an axe. The 

 marks of this desolation remain for many years on the spot ; and 

 numerous places could be pointed out where for several years after, 

 scarce a single vegetable made its appearance. 



When these roosts are first discovered, the inhabitants from consider- 

 able distances visit them in the night, with guns, clubs, long poles, pots 

 of sulphur, and various other engines of destruction. In a few hours 

 they fill many sacks, and load their horses with them. By the Indians, 

 a Pigeon roost, or breeding place, is considered an important source of 

 national profit and dependence for that season ; and all their active 

 ingenuity is exercised on the occasion. The breeding place difiers from 

 the former in its greater extent. In the western countries above men- 

 tioned, these are generally in beech woods, and often extend in nearly 



