own with a crash, came to the ground, killing hundreds of birds
beneath, forcing down other equally large and heavy groups, and
rendering the whole a scene of uproar and distressing confusion.

I found it quite useless to speak, or even to shout to those persons
nearest me. Even the reports of the guns were seldom heard, and I
knew only of their going off by seeing their owners reload them. It
was past midnight before I perceived a decrease in the numbers
arriving.

The uproar continued, however, the whole night; and, as I was
anxious to know to what distance the sound reached, I sent off a
man, who told me afterwards, that at three miles he heard the sound
distinctly. Towards the approach of day, the noise rather subsided;
but long ere objects were at all distinguishable, the pigeons began
to move off in a direction quite different from that from which they
had arrived the day before.

The place they choose for building their nests, is very unlike the
scene of confusion the roosting place presents. There you see the
tenderest affection. The birds find some forest where the trees are
very high and large, and at a convenient distance from the water. To
this place myriads of pigeons fly. There, in harmony and love, they
build their nests with parental care. Fifty or a hundred nests, made
of a few dried sticks, crossed in different ways, and supported by
suitable forks in the branches, may be seen on the same tree. The
two birds take turns to sit on the eggs; but the mother sits the
longest. The male feeds her from his bill with the greatest
tenderness, takes care of her, and does every thing he can to please
her.

Now it is bed-time, so good night!"

End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of True Stories about Cats and Dogs, by
Eliza Lee Follen

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