PASSENGER PIGEON. 
323 
Pressing upon each other towards the centre. In these 
*Wst solid masses, they darted forward in undulating 
""1 angular lint's, descended and swept close over the 
ta rth with inconceivable velocity, mounted perpendi- 
parly, so as to resemble a vast column, and, when 
P’gh, were seen wheeling and twisting within their 
-'.’iitinued lines, which then resembled the coils of a 
feantic serpent.” Before sunset,, Audubon reached 
Louisville, distant from Hardensburgh 55 miles; the 
Pigeons were still passing in undiminished numbers, 
*®d continued to do so for three days in succession. 
Audubon attempts to reckon the number of pigeons 
1,1 one of these flocks, and the daily quantity of food 
c °»sumed by it. He takes, as an example, a column 
of one mile in breadth, and supposes it passing over 
% without interruption, for three hours, at the 
bfle of one mile per minute. This will give us a 
Parallelogram of 180 miles by 1, averaging 180 square 
'biles ; and, allowing two pigeons to the square yard, 
behave one billion one hundred and fifteen millions 
hundred and thirty-six thousand pigeons in one 
' "'U : and, as every pigeon consumes lully half a pint 
P (!r day, the quantity required to feed such a flock 
b'Ust be eight millions seven hundred aud twelve 
y°usaud bushels per day. Audubon thus describes 
' *e appearance of tho pigeons at one of their roosting 
P;»ces : — “ The sun was lost to our view, yet not a 
Pigeon had arrived ; but, suddenly, there burst forth 
J general cry of, ‘ Here they come !’ The noise which 
Ley made, though yet distant, reminded me of a hard 
Me at sea, passing through the rigging of a close reefed 
'bssel. As the birds arrived, aud passed over me, I felt 
* current of air that surprised me. Thousands were 
"">n knocked down by the men provided with poles. 
, current of birds, however, kept still increasing. 
q res were lighted, and a most magnificent, as well 
? s a wonderful and terrifying sight, presented itself. 
pigeons, coming in by thousands, alighted every 
"here, one above another, until solid masses of them, 
