be taught to imitate the human voice. The hab- 

 its • of these birds are in some respect singular. 

 They are always seen in flocks, which retire, at 

 night, into hollow trees, frequently in large num- 

 bers, where they suspend themselves by their bills. 

 These flocks also retreat to hollow trees in the 

 winter. There have been found after a severe 

 winter, prodigious numbers in a large tree, filling 

 the whole cavity, where they had perished by the 

 severity of the cold.* There are a great variety 

 of other large and small birds, but the most of 

 them are similar to those which are indigenous 

 in the northern and middle Atlantic States. 



Some of the people, who first emigrated into 

 this country, had fearful apprehensions of veno- 

 mous serpents, but were soon relieved on their 

 arrival. The snakes are very nearly of the same 

 kind, which are found in the middle and northern 

 Atlantic States ; probably not so numerous as 

 they were ;there, on their first settlement. The 

 black and yellow rattle snakes are found in the 

 Ohio State, but are not very often seen, except it 

 be near the places where they have dens. The 

 copper-heads are more frequently met with, about 

 the trunks of fallen trees and about rubbish, under 

 which they retreat in the winter. They resem- 

 ble the rattle snake in colour, but not so large, are 



* The large collection of feathers found in a hollow tree, 

 in Waterford, and examined by the Rev. Mr, Harris, were 

 probably the feathers of these birds. Harris' 1 Journal of a 

 Tour to the Ohio. Page 100. 



