Nebraska Prairies - A Perspective

O what a scene! so pure and green, And boundless to the roving eye; Untilled, untouched, wild and serene, And arched by such a glorious sky;   The clouds swell out in silver waves, Around the deep ethereal blue; And some, like shores of cliffs and eaves, Jut from the North in dusky hue.   In loveliest variation spread, The fresh green prairies glow around; Some rambling hills the valleys lead, And some the plains like bulwarks bound.   Two months ago swift prairie flame O'er all with golden circles swept; And cleaner than the flocks or game It grazed to where the waters crept.   Then vernal showers gently fell To wash the scorched and darkened earth, And call from every hill and dell The waiting shoots of herbage forth.   Till now, like richest emerald, glow Around me valley, plain and hill, And silk-green trees, and plums like snow, Escort the gently journeying rill.   Young flowers their dewy eyes upturn, To woo the angel stars by night; But droop to hide, when day-beams burn, Their bashful beauty from the sight.   In other flowery coverts deep The doe conceals her speckled fawn; And prairie hens their chirplings keep, Till circling hawks above are gone.   Soon 'midst the waves of summer green The brown fat deer and antelope Shall in the watered dells be seen Beneath the shade-tree's dusky cope.   Blest in the bounties of each day, And from man's dominion rude, All live their happy lives away, In nature's own sweet solitude.   What unrecorded ages past Lie hid in silent mystery here! What future states their shadows cast Beyond the Indian's wild career!   For hark! that whistle, shrill and clear! Those puffs from fiery throats and heart! All nature shrinks with silent fear When comes you harbinger of art.   The locomotive, in its course, With sun-like eye, and mane of steam, Drags civilization on by force, And wakes wild centuries from their dreams.   What change few brief years have wrought Within this western wilderness! Developed with the speed of thought, To lovely farms and villages.   In towns the railways knot, that speed To all parts safe, in hours more few, Than once the traveler, armed for need In weeks the tardy oxen drew.   Neat buggies whirl their lords along Where buffaloes thundered o'er the plain; And field-larks from their joyous song, O'er fields and miles of waving grain.   Kerl. May 29, 1874. Nebraska prairies. Jefferson City (Missouri) State Journal 2(23): 6. Written for the State Journal.

Opera House Chimney a Roost for Swifts

Late Local News.

Mayor Lasselle has for several days been watching the peculiar actions of the chimney swallows. Every evening large flocks of swallows can be seen swarming about the large chimney of the opera house. Presently one will take the lead and dart down into the chimney followed by the rest. Mayor Lasselle has watched them several evenings and on a rough calculation finds the number at from 1,000 to 2,000. They fly down into the furnace chimney to roost. During the summer many hundreds have made their nests there. When the entire number are settled it is stated that the lower walls are lined from top to bottom.

September 10, 1884. Logansport (Indiana) Pharos Tribune 10(70): 4.

Strange Flight of Martins

Immense flocks of swallows haunt a little copse in Westerly. Hundreds of thousands of these birds gather, filling the air and confusing the mind with their twittering. The come singly, in pairs, by the score, in hundreds and even in flocks of thousands, until there seems no room in the air for more. All at once, as by magic, they shoot into the copse and disappear. It is really a wonderful sight. Westerly people visit the place every evening, and come over even from Watch Hill and Stonington to witness the singular phenomenon. They have been known to gather there for a number of years, but in number they excel this year.

September 7, 1877. Strange flight of swallows. Petersburg Index and Appeal 24(37): 2. From a Westerly (R.I.) letter to the Providence Journal.

Swifts - a Singular Phenomenon in Connecticut

Woodbury, Conn., May 24th, 1847.

An accident occurred in this place on the 18th of the present month, which neither that distinguished personage, the "oldest inhabitant," nor any other individual recollects to have witnessed or known before, and which, there, I deem worthy of record.

In the latter part of the day above mentioned, an immense flock of birds, commonly known as chimney swallows, collected over the village where by their gyrations, numbers and peculiar notes, they attracted much attention for about two hours, when they began to describe a regular circle in the heavens. This circle the mysterious visitors, by every evolution, made smaller and smaller until it became quite contracted, when suddenly they commenced descending into a well which was directly under the centre of the former movements. Soon some of them were seen flying out, and for a few minutes many were moving in each direction, though the greatest number moving in.

While the birds continued thus entering and escaping, some individuals approached the well, and for a time stood directly over it, observing the movements of the little adventurers. The presence of the observers was not at first regarded by them, but they continued their apparent purpose of a visit to the cool waters for a while, when they ceased to fly in, and immediately disappeared entirely from the heavens.

On examination we found the water about four feet below the surface of the ground, and the well being completely covered with the birds — many of them dead and others dying, and all, as was very manifest, having first alighted directly in the water.

After all had flow away that seemed able or willing, an individual went into the well in order to remove the rest, but so thick were the birds in the crevices that he was obliged to clear away numbers to find places for his hands and feet. He collected upwards of seven hundred, as was found by enumeration, and as many more flew away before he entered.

The object of the visitants no one can divine, and they did not see fit to tell us intelligibly, though they kept up quite a chattering among themselves. We therefore state the facts, and leave it for others, either by the yankee privilege of guessing or other means to ascertain the reason. These statements are made by one who was an eye-witness.

Yours, &c.

S.M.

If we had not the name of the most respectable and reliable eye witness to the above phenomenon, we should have pronounced it rather fishy. As it is, we are bound to believe the statement, however unnatural and unaccountable it may appear.— Ed.

Birds - singular phenomenon. June 1, 1847. New York Evening Express, page 2. From the New Haven Herald.

Remarkable Flight of Shorebirds in Wisconsin

On Thursday last, during a severe southeast storm, a number of birds, new in this part of the country, were discovered on the farms in this vicinity, and on Friday immense numbers of large flocks were observed passing over the city from the northeast to the southwest — and the flight continued nearly two days and nights. — The width of the flight was "as far as heard from," is at least sixty miles. We heard from a shrewd Yankee estimate the number, taking the number that flew over his house as a basis at, a 'leetle more than ten thousand million.' A few were brought in by the sportsmen, and are believed to be the black breasted plover. These flocks were arranged in straight lines like wild geese, and they emitted a noise like a whistle. Their weight will average five ounces; shape live a dove, but with long curved wings — head and bill like a pigeon, with an oval white ring with an edging of black around the eye — feathers on the back, black, tinged with a yellowish green on the breast, brown and white — long brown legs with but three toes — crops filled with grasshoppers and other insects. Who can tell what they are and where they come from?

Remarkable flight of birds. September 27, 1852. Kenosha Democrat 2(15): 1. From the Kenosha Journal. A couple of misspellings corrected.

[These are possibly golden-plover, rather than the Grey Plover.]

Great Flock of Pigeons - Jersey Shore

Several large flocks of pigeons have been noticed of late. Capt. Bricker, of Jersey Shore, who was in the city yesterday, related that on Friday a flock passed over that town which reached from mountain to mountain, and attracted the attention of everybody. Old hunters declared that they had never seen anything like it. But the most remarkable part remains to be told. The Captain was out with his gun, like many others, and noticing the myriads of birds, fired into the center of them. The caused the flock to double up like a great knot, and arrested the flight for a moment. But one solitary bird was brought down, to the intense disgust of the marksman. When they got in motion again the sound declared by their wings resembled the roar of distant thunder. There was "millions in" that flock, and it sailed away in the direction of Williamsport.

April 6, 1875. Williamsport Daily Gazette and Bulletin 6(114): 4.

Grand Canal Dinner - 1824

On Saturday, Mr. Sykes, of the New-York Coffee-House, gave his annual dinner, in honor of Clinton and the Grand Canal. The company to the number of 250, assembled at three o'clock, when they sat down to the most sumptuous entertainment consisting of every variety of fish, flesh and fowl, and every delicacy that our extensive markets could supply. Gen. Robert Swartwout presided. Five tables were spread, each of which was tastefully ornamented with flags and inscriptions. At the head of the first table, stood a temple with the colonnades on every side, and from the centre of which rose a lofty tower, surmounted with flowers, and the whole surrounded with statutes of classical design. From different parts floated banners of blue and white silk, with inscriptions in letters of gold. The ornaments were tastefully arranged, and produced a happy effect. The wines supplied for the occasion, were of the highest and richest flavors, and imparted a zest to a great number of toasts which were given in the course of the evening.

That the table literally "groaned under the weight of the feast," will not be doubted by any one who peruses the following bill of fare which composed the entertainment: —

First Course. — Green turtle, oyster and oxtail soup; boiled and barbecued fish; chickens; ducks; geese; turkeys; hams, tongues, veal alamode; legs and chinese lamb; fricasees; oyster, chicken, bird and rabbit pies; roast, corned and alamode beef.

Second Course. — Gallipagos turtle ragout, do. steaks; green turtle callipash, do callipee, do. steaks; turkeys a la Francaise; snipe; plover; woodcock; quails; partridges; teal; widgeon; broad-bills; black ducks; wood ducks; brant; canvass-back ducks; saddles and haunches of venison.

Dessert. — Plumb, marrow, Vermicelli, and lemon puddings; apple, cranberry and guava pies; raspberry tartlets; jellies; blancmanges, syllabubs; fruit.

The price of tickets to this dinner, was but fifty cents — a fact which we state simply to show the great abundance and variety with which our markets are daily stored. We may safely say, there is not a city or country in the universe, where such an entertainment could be furnished for such a moderate price.

November 15, 1824. Boston Commercial Gazette 66(46): 4.