THE PIGEON. 77 



These short migrations are not undertaken merely 

 for the purpose of finding a warmer, or a colder cli- 

 mate, like those of the common birds of passage, but 

 for the purpose of obtaining food, for the support of 

 their immense numbers. 



The following account of their migrations, the sub- 

 stance of which is taken from Wilson's Ornithology, 

 may be relied on as true, however incredible it may 

 seem, for that gentleman either saw what he describes 

 himself, or had his statements from the best authority. 



Mr. Wilson states that he had seen immense flights 

 of these birds in Pennsylvania, and Virginia, but that 

 these were merely straggling parties, when compared 

 with the congregated millions which he beheld after- 

 wards, in Ohio, Kentucky, and Indiana. The fertile 

 regions in these states abound with beech nuts, which 

 are the principal food of the wild Pigeon. When 

 these nuts are consumed in one place, they discover 

 another supply, often at the distance of seventy or 

 eighty miles, and to this place they regularly fly every 

 morning, and return again in the course of the day, 

 to some place which appears to have been agreed on 

 among themselves, and where they spend the night. 



These places are always in the woods, and some- 

 times occupy a large extent of forest. Such places, 

 after being occupied for many nights by the Pigeons, 

 present a very curious and surprising appearance. 

 The surface of the ground is every where strewed 

 with the large branches of trees, which have been bro- 

 ken down by the weight of the birds. All the tender 

 grass, and underwood is destroyed, and the large trees 

 themselves are as completely killed as if they had been 

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