20 THE COMMON CROW. 



We believe that not less than 50,000 Crows frequent the roosts 

 above mentioned, the extent of which is estimated as follows: Boost 1 

 mile north of Peru, 2 to 3 acres; Hogthief Island, 4 to 5 acres; 

 McKissicks Island, 15 to 10 acres. 



Of the various Crow roosts on record, the lowest estimate of Crows 

 per acre is 5,000, and with this as a basis the lowest estimate on the 

 three roosts near Peru would be over 100,000. 



Why the Crows flock to these places to roost we can not explain. 

 From a somewhat careful investigation we are confident that many of 

 the birds make a journey of 40 to 50 miles and return each day. From 

 daylight to sunrise on a bright morning they maybe seen flying in long- 

 flocks in various directions from the roost, only to begin their return 

 about 3 p. m., and they keep coming in until dark, and sometimes later. 

 Before retiring for the night they collect on sand bars along the banks 

 of the river, where they remain until about dark, when they rise in 

 flocks and fly to the roost. Many play along the river and are over- 

 taken by darkness while 5 or 6 miles away, but they invariably come to 

 one point on the river before taking their night's rest. The noise made 

 in taking flight for the day's journey has been heard 3, 4, or even 5 

 miles, depending on the condition of the atmosphere. 



About the 1st of May these roosts are completely deserted. Where 

 do the Crows go? Many breed in the neighborhood, and their nests 

 have been found by students of the State Normal School; but from 

 what we have been able to gather there are not Crows enough breeding 

 in eastern Nebraska, western Iowa, and northwestern Missouri to 

 account for all the Crows roosting on the Missouri during winter. 



Mr. George A. Coleman, of London, Nebr., wrote in July, 1888, con- 

 cerning these same Crow roosts: "During the winter they have their 

 roosting places along the Missouri Kiver and on the islands. The 

 favorite roost is on Hogthief Island, which is about 6 miles above Peru, 

 JSTebr. Here from October until March they come to roost every even- 

 ing, and from about 4 o'clock p. m. until 6 a constant stream of them 

 can be seen coming from every direction, and the noise they make is 

 deafening. At daybreak they scatter to the adjacent feed lots and 

 fields, only to return in the evening. The number that roost on this 

 and adjacent islands is estimated to be 100,000, and they are steadily 

 increasing." 



A roost is thus described by Mr. S. S. Eathvon l in Lancaster County, 

 Pa. : " We have now a formidable Crow roost on the Conestoga, in this 

 county, about 6 miles south of Lancaster City, but with their usual 

 cunning I have not yet learned that they 'tease sheep near home/ 

 The gentleman upon whose farm the 'roost 7 is located says they rise 

 up every morning, and after forming four divisions, the one flies east, 

 another west, another north, and-another south, returning again in the 



1 American Naturalist, III, 1869, pp. 102-103. 



