PASSENGER PIGEON. Ectopistes migratorius. 



After professing his belief that the chief object of the migration is the search after food; 

 and that the birds having devoured all the nutriment in one part of the country take 

 wing in order to feed on the beech-mast of another region, Wilson proceeds to describe 

 a breeding-place seen by himself in Kentucky, which was several miles in breadth, was 

 said to be nearly forty miles in length, and in which every tree was absolutely loaded 

 with nests. All the smaller branches were destroyed by the birds, many of the large 

 limbs were broken off and thrown on the ground, while no few of the grand forest-trees 

 themselves were killed as surely as if the axe had been employed for their destruction. 

 The Pigeons had arrived about the tenth of April, and left it by the end of May. 



" As soon ae the young were fully grown, and before they left the nests, numerous 

 parties of the inhabitants, from all parts of the adjacent country, came with waggons, 

 oxen, beds, cooking utensils, many of them accompanied by the greater part of their 

 families, and encamped for several days at this immense nursery. Several of them 

 informed me that the noise in the woods was so great as to terrify their horses, and that it 

 was difficult for one person to hear another speak without bawling in his ear. 

 2. p p 



