122 COLUMBIDJE. 



myriads advancing over the American forests in the 

 eastern horizon, as the myriads that had passed were 

 lost in the western sky. 



It was late in the afternoon before any decrease in 

 the mass was perceptible, but they became gradually 

 less dense as the day drew to a close. At sunset the 

 detached flocks bringing up the rear began to settle in 

 the forest on the Lake-road, and in such numbers as 

 to break down branches from the trees. 



The duration of this flight being about fourteen 

 hours, viz., from four A.M. to six P.M., the column (allow- 

 ing a probable velocity of sixty miles an hour, as assumed 

 by Wilson), could not have been less than three hundred 

 miles in length, with an average breadth, as before 

 stated, of one mile. 



During the following day and for several days after- 

 wards, they still continued flying over in immense 

 though greatly diminished numbers, broken up into 

 flocks and keeping much lower, possibly being weaker 

 or younger birds. As they were now within easy shot, 

 sometimes flying so low as to be brought down even by 

 sticks and stones, every one fortunate enough to own 

 anything in the shape of fire-arms turned out with it, 

 whether musket, flint-lock, Yankee rifle, or blunder- 

 buss. For several weeks afterwards, small flocks re- 

 mained behind in the woods, affording more real 



