Vol m^ XV ] Townsend, A Winter Crow Roost. 409 



rough estimate can be made. There were three streams entering 

 the roost beginning at one o'clock and continuing until a quarter 

 of five. The largest of these was from the south, the next largest 

 from the west and the smallest from the north. The greatest 

 flight occurred in the hour before dark. From counts made in the 

 stream from the south this flow averaged at least a hundred in a 

 minute or 6,000 in the hour. If we suppose that an equal number 

 arrived in the combined western and northern streams there would 

 be 12,000 occupants in the roost, a very moderate estimate, I 

 believe. 



Crows were not the only species that sought refuge for the night 

 in these evergreens. At half -past four a Starling was seen flying 

 thither. But the great flight of Starlings appeared shortly after 

 four. There were about two hundred of them — a mere nothing 

 compared with the enormous multitudes that are soon destined to 

 inhabit these regions, for the European Starling, introduced in 

 some evil moment to these new lands of the western Hemisphere, 

 is increasing by leaps and bounds. This flock of two hundred 

 Starlings flew by with a whistling of wings straight for the roost, 

 but on its arrival at once began a series of aerial evolutions which 

 lasted for half an hour by the watch, before the flock finally entered 

 the roost for the night. At times the birds would spread out like 

 a mist on the hillsides at times they would combine to form a com- 

 pact dark ball ; again they would stream off like a whisp of smoke, 

 and turn and twist and snap the whip in a most amazing manner. 

 The exhibition of this troop of Starlings was that of well trained 

 performers executing difficult and intricate evolutions without 

 hesitation and without fault. The rhythm and harmony of all 

 their movements was perfect; the speed of action was so great 

 that it was at times difficult to follow them with the eye. They 

 opened or closed their ranks, they deployed to the right or to the 

 left, they descended or ascended as if impelled by a common mind 

 or as if possessed of perfect telepathic intercommunication. One 

 could hear no word of command and there appeared to be no leader. 

 The spirit of play was in it all and the joy of untiring energy, of 

 perfect mastery of the air and of consummate grace and skill. It 

 was a marvelous and mysterious exhibition. 



I have often watched from my house the western stream of 



