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254 PASSENGER PIGEON. 
But the most remarkable characteristic of these birds is their associa- 
ting together, both in their migrations, and also during the period of 
incubation, in such prodigious numbers as almost to surpass belief ; and 
which has no parallel among any other of the feathered tribes, on the 
face of the earth, with which naturalists are acquainted. 
These migrations appear to be undertaken rather in quest of food, 
than merely to avoid the cold of the climate, since we find them linger- 
ing in the northern regions around Hudson's Bay so late as December ; 
and since their appearance is so casual and irregular ; sometimes not 
visiting certain districts for several years in any considerable numbers, 
while at other times they are innumerable. I have witnessed these 
migrations in the Grenesee country — often in Pennsylvania, and also in 
various parts of Virginia, with amazement ; but all that I bad then seen 
of them were mere straggling parties, when compared with the congre- 
gated millions which I have since beheld in our western forests, in the 
states of Ohio, Kentucky, and the Indiana territory. These fertile and 
extensive regions abound with the nutritious beech nut, which constitutes 
the chief food of the Wild Pigeon. In seasons when these nuts are abund- 
ant, corresponding multitudes of Pigeons may be confidently expected. 
It sometimes happens that having consumed the whole produce of the 
beech trees in an extensive district they discover another at the distance 
perhaps of sixty or eighty miles, to which they regularly repair every 
morning, and return as regularly in the coarse of the day, or in the 
evening, to their place of general rendezvous, or as it is usually called 
the roosting place. These roosting places are always in the woods, and 
sometimes occupy a large extent of forest. When they have frequented 
one of these places for some time, the appearance it exhibits is surpris- 
ing. The ground is covered to the depth of several inches with their 
dung ; all the tender grass and underwood destroyed ; the surface 
strewed with large limbs of. trees broken down by the Aveight of the 
birds clustering one above another ; and the trees themselves, for thou- 
sands of acres, killed as completely as if girdled with an axe. The 
marks of this desolation remain for many years on the spot ; and 
numerous places could be pointed out where for several years after, 
scarce a single vegetable made its appearance. 
When these roosts are first discovered, the inhabitants from consider- 
able distances visit them in the night, with guns, clubs, long jDoles, pots 
of sulphur, and various other engines of destruction. In a few hours 
they fill many sacks, and load their horses with them. By the Indians, 
a Pigeon roost, or breeding place, is considered an important source of 
national profit and dependence for that season ; and all their active 
ingenuity is exercised on the occasion. The breeding place differs from 
the former in its greater extent. In the western countries above men- 
tioned, these are generally in beech woods, and often extend in nearly 
