THE PASSENGER PIGEON. 141 
inv attention ; but I am no farther advanced in the 
investigation than I was on the first day on which 
I set out. It is one of the many secrets in the habits 
of birds, v/hich will, perhaps, be for ever concealed 
from our view. 
THE PASSENGER PIGEON. 
*' Towards the approach of day, the noise in some measure 
subsided ; long before objects were distinguishable, the pigeons 
began to move off in a direction quite different from that in 
which they had arrived the evening before ; and, at sunrise, 
all that were able to fly had disappeared. The bowlings of 
the wolves now reached our ears, and the foxes, lynxes, cou- 
gars, bears, raccoons, opossums, and polecats were seen sneak- 
ing off." {^Biography of Birds, by Audubon, p. 325.) 
" Variarum monstra ferarum ! '* Virgil. 
Mr. Audubon may boast of a sight never before 
seen by mortal eyes under similar circumstances. 
Great indeed must have been the yearning for 
pigeon flesh, to have caused such a variety of wild 
auimals to assemble there ; and irresistible the 
flavour which induced them to tarry so long be- 
yond their wonted time of prowling. Their very 
nature seems to have been changed. Their re- 
maining at the pigeon-slaughter till the time of 
sunrise is a most wonderful circumstance, which de- 
mands investigation on the part of naturahsts ; for, 
hitherto, all these wild beasts which Mr. Audubon 
