96 SPOET IN NORTH AMERICA. 



when lie observed an immense mass flying over 

 his head. He calculated the breadth of the column, 

 and estimated approximately the swiftness of flight, 

 and then, by taking the length of time occupied in 

 fljdng over his head, and estimating the number 

 of pigeons to the square yard, he arrived at the 

 astonishing conclusion that the whole body contained 

 two thousand two hundred and thirty millions two 

 hundred and seventy-two thousand (2,280,272,000) 

 birds ; and calculating that each pigeon would con- 

 sume half a pint of food dail}^ grain and fruit, they 

 would devour seventeen millions four hundred and 

 twenty-four thousand bushels (17,424,000) daily. 



Directly the pigeons perceive that they are pass- 

 ing over a crop of food, whether upon the trees or 

 the ground, sufficient to recompense them for stop- 

 ping, they wheel round and round, the rays of the 

 sun shining on tlieir brilliant plumage of azure and 

 gold, and then they plunge at once into some dense 

 wood in the neighbourhood. Presentl}'- they grow 

 more hardy, and by a sudden movement cover the 

 ground. Should anything frighten them, they 

 resume their flight with such rapidity that the 

 flapping of their wings produces a noise which 

 would be terrible if you did not know the cause of 

 it. But when their alarm is over, they descend 

 once more, and make such clean work, that not a 

 grain is to be found where they have been. This is 

 the moment that the sportsmen of Kentucky choose 



