204 
PASSENGER PIGEON. 
behind tracing the exact route of their predecessors. This 
would continue sometimes long after both extremities were 
beyond the reach of sight ; so that the whole, with its glittery 
undulations, marked a space on the face of the heavens 
resembling the windings of a vast and majestic river. When 
this bend became very great, the birds, as if sensible of the 
unnecessary circuitous course they were taking, suddenly 
changed their direction, so that what was in column before 
became an immense front, straightening all its indentures, 
until it swept the heavens in one vast and infinitely extended 
line. Other lesser bodies also united with each other as they 
happened to approach, with such ease and elegance of evolu- 
tion, forming new figures, and varying these as they united 
or separated, that I never was tired of contemplating them. 
Sometimes a Hawk would make a sweep on a particular part 
of the column, from a great height, when, almost as quick as 
lightning, that part shot downwards out of the common track ; 
but, soon rising again, continued advancing at the same height 
as before. r l his inflection w T as continued by those behind, who, 
on arriving at this point, dived down, almost perpendicularly, 
to a great depth, and rising, followed the exact path of those 
that went before. As these vast bodies passed over the river 
near me, the surface of the water, which was before smooth 
as glass, appeared marked wdth innumerable dimples, occasioned 
by the dropping of their dung, resembling the commencement 
of a shower of large drops of rain or hail. 
Happening to go ashore one charming afternoon, to purchase 
some milk at a house that stood near the river, and while 
talking with the people within doors, I was suddenly struck 
with astonishment at a loud rushing roar, succeeded by instant 
darkness, which, on the first moment, I took for a tornado, 
about to overwhelm the house and every thing around in 
destruction. The people, observing my surprise, coolly said, 
66 It is only the Pigeons and, on running out, I beheld a 
flock, thirty or forty yards in width, sweeping along very low, 
between the house and the mountain, or height, that formed 
