36 PEOCEEDINGS OP THE 



I had a clear shot at a bunch of seven, the gun missed fire 

 and at the snap of the cap they disappeared like a flash. 

 Again I recall a flock of about twenty birds that my brother 

 and I saw enter a piece of woodland about noon, on a hot Sep- 

 tember day, which was an unusual time, evidently in search of 

 water from a stream ; and we shot three birds in succession be- 

 fore the rest flew away. On another occasion, in the same woods 

 I discovered a bunch of Pigeons sitting in the oaks. Being un- 

 armed, I walked leisurely under the tree and counted the birds 

 and watched them for about half an hour, during which time 

 they exhibited not the slightest fear. 



A dead tree-top or dead limb was always an attractive roost- 

 ing spot, and I have known birds to sit on the same perch for 

 hours at a time. On one occasion my father found three 

 Pigeons sitting on a dead limb, and finding no ammunition in 

 the house, saddled a horse, rode two miles and a half to the 

 store and back, loaded the gun and shot them from the same 

 limb on which he first saw them. Apparently they had not 

 moved an inch. When a Pigeon was resting he invariably sat 

 flat on the limb, his head drawn close to his body. On the 

 approach of danger he generally stood up and stretched out his 

 neck; if his head moved slowly about, you were safe in the 

 belief that he was not alarmed; but if on the contrary a rapid 

 motion of the head was observed, it was a case of shoot quickly, 

 for he had decided to fly, and when he did fly he was off like a 

 whirlwind. 



When traveling leisurely over the country Pigeons flew in 

 open order, but when frightened and going at full speed they 

 flew in close rank. Their long tail and pointed wings were 

 quite conspicuous, and there was some resemblance in wing 

 action to a huge Chimney Swift flying dead away. A flock of 

 Kildeers passing a quarter of a mile away at about one hundred 

 and fifty feet elevation gives a good idea of the appearance of a 

 flock of Pigeons. 



In flight the female appeared most conspicuous with her 

 whitish breast; the light pinkish breast of the male, however, 

 showed to best advantage when roosting, especially when the 

 light shone full upon it. 



