THE PASSENGER PIGEON. 347 



How taken by the colonists. 



Supposing, therefore, that the pigeons moved no 

 faster than the vessel, the flight, according to 

 this gentleman's accountj must have extended at 

 least eighty miles. 



The passenger pigeons are very fat during their 

 migrations. It is a singular fact, that Mr. St. 

 John found in the craw of one of them some un- 

 digested rice, when the nearest rice-fields were at 

 least five hundred and sixty miles from his habi- 

 tation. He naturally concluded that either they 

 must fly with the celerity of the wind, or else di- 

 gestion must be in a great -measure suspended 

 during their flight. 



The Indians often watch the roosting-places 

 of these birds; and knocking them on the head 

 in the night, bring them away by thousands* 

 They preserve the oil, or fat; which they use 

 instead of butter. There was formerly scarcely 

 any little Indian town in the interior parts of 

 Carolina, where a hundred gallons of this oil 

 might not at any time be purchased. 



M. du Pratz, when he was in America, placed 

 under their roost ing-trees vessels filled with flam- 

 ing sulphur, the fumes of which brought them to 

 the ground in immense numbers. 



By the colonists these pigeons are generally 

 caught in a net extended on the ground ; to 

 which they are allured by tamed pigeons of their 

 own species, that are blinded, and fastened to a 

 long string. The short flights and repeated calls 

 of the shackled birds, never fail either to excite 

 2x2 



