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A Crow Roost Near Richmond, Indiana. 



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



What is said in this paper aliout crows and their roosting is leased 

 upon observations talien by Professor Dennis and myself of one particu- 

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



Through the latter part of January, 190.S, 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 floclvs 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 the 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 this there must have been at 

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

 ing nearly every crow had returned from the roost on its way 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 crows 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 

 raaneuverings; however, they were not so Icind and not one flew over the 

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

 line directly overliead but always, 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 lilie 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 malje the sudden turn, utter the call and fly around. 



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

 necessary to walli 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 



