GALLINACE.E. 



323 



down by the weight of the birds clustering one above 

 another, and the trees themselves, for thousands of 

 acres, killed as completely as if girdled with an axe. 

 The marks of this desolation remain for many years 

 on the spot ; and numerous places could be pointed 

 out where, for several years after, scarce a single 

 vegetable made its appearance. When these roosts 

 are first discovered, the inhabitants from conside- 

 rable distances visit them in the night with guns, 

 clubs, long poles, pots of sulphur, and various other 

 engines of destruction. In a few hours they fill 

 many sacks, and load their horses with them. 



" I had left the public road, and was traversing the 

 woods, on my way to Frankfort, when, about one 

 o'clock, the Pigeons which I had observed flying the 

 greater part of the morning northerly, began to return 

 in such immense numbers as I never before had wit- 

 nessed. Coming to an opening by the side of a creek, 

 where I had a more uninterrupted view, I was asto- 

 nished at their appearance. They were flying with 

 great steadiness and rapidity, at a height beyond 

 gunshot, in several strata deep, and so close together, 

 that, could shot have reached them, one discharge 

 could not have failed of bringing down several indi- 

 viduals. From right to left, as far as the eye could 

 reach, the breadth of this vast procession extended, 

 seeming everywhere equally crowded. Curious to de- 

 termine how long this appearance would continue, I 

 took out my watch to note the time, and sat down to 

 observe them. It was then half-past one. I sat for 

 more than an hour ; but, instead of a diminution of 



