STOKIES ABOUT BIRDS. 159 



with men and boys, continually shooting at the 

 pilgrims, which flew lower as they passed the 

 river. Multitudes Avere thus destroyed. For 

 a week or more, the principal food of the popu- 

 lation was that of pigeons." In estimating the 

 number of these mighty flocks, and the food 

 consumed by them daily, Mr. Audubon adds, 

 " Let us take a column of one mile in breadth, 

 which is far below the average size, and sup- 

 pose it passing over us at the rate of one 

 mile per minute. This will give us an oblong 

 square of one hundred and eight}^ miles in 

 length by one mile in breadth; and, allowing 

 two pigeons to the square yard, we have one 

 billion one hundred and fifteen millions one 

 hundred and thirty-six thousand pigeons in 

 one flock; and as every pigeon consumes at 

 least half a pint in a day, the quantity required 

 to feed such a flock must be eight millions 

 seven hundred and twelve thousand bushels 

 per day!" 



These are tough stories, reader — I confess 

 that. The number of pigeons which, according 

 to the statement above, must have been assem- 

 bled in one single flock, is three times greater 

 than the probable number of all the human 

 inhabitants on the globe ! They are great 

 stories. There's no disputing that. But when 



