{Pigeons.}
Our Wild Pigeons, Are Like The Wood-Queese Or Stock-Doves,
Only Have A Longer Tail.
They leave us in the Summer.
This sort of Pigeon
(as I said before) is the most like our Stock-Doves, or Wood-Pigeons
that we have in England; only these differ in their Tails,
which are very long, much like a Parrakeeto's? You must understand,
that these Birds do not breed amongst us, (who are settled at,
and near the Mouths of the Rivers, as I have intimated to you before)
but come down (especially in hard Winters) amongst the Inhabitants,
in great Flocks, as they were seen to do in the Year 1707,
which was the hardest Winter that ever was known, since Carolina
has been seated by the Christians. And if that Country had such hard Weather,
what must be expected of the severe Winters in Pensylvania, New-York,
and New-England, where Winters are ten times (if possible)
colder than with us. Although the Flocks are, in such Extremities,
very numerous; yet they are not to be mention'd in Comparison with
the great and infinite Numbers of these Fowl, that are met withal
about a hundred, or a hundred and fifty, Miles to the Westward of the Places
where we at present live; and where these Pigeons come down, in quest of
a small sort of Acorns, which in those Parts are plentifully found.
They are the same we call Turky-Acorns, because the wild Turkies
feed very much thereon; And for the same Reason, those Trees that bear them,
are call'd Turky-Oaks.
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