42 BIRD PARADISE 



fields with utter destruction. The parson, then 

 a mere boy, recalls the fact of being placed in a 

 part of the wheat field on the old farm while the 

 workmen were engaged in another portion. His 

 business was to frighten away the pigeons which 

 came down upon the stacks of wheat in immense 

 numbers. What a rushing sound the great flocks 

 made in passing ! Thousands were killed by the 

 hunters, and thousands more caught in nets, 

 being kept and fattened for future use. It was a 

 common saying when the beechnuts were plenti- 

 ful, "The woods are full of pigeons." I have 

 seen the ground covered with the great flocks — 

 thousands being under the eye. Curious how 

 these birds nested. Multitudes of nests were put 

 near together, the limbs sometimes breaking 

 under the weight. I was told of their roosting 

 places when I was in Oklahoma, where they as- 

 sembled night after night in vast numbers. Wild 

 animals of many kinds preyed upon them and 

 the hunters came from every direction, securing 

 :great quantities of the birds. 



Crossing the fields this morning I came upon 

 a large flock of meadow-larks. There were fifty 

 and more birds in the flock and every one seemed 



