ORNITHOLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS DURING THE 
TOTAL SOLAR ECLIPSE OF JANUARY, 18809. 
BY WALTER E. BRYANT. 
In the afternoon of January 1, 1889, occurred phenomena of 
such great importance to astronomers that they took every precau- 
tion to secure valuable observations and data from various locali- 
ties. Most of these results have already been published, but as yet 
I have heard nothing from ornithologists who apparently failed to 
improve the opportunity for observing the effect upon birds-of the 
sudden obscuring of the sun. 
Some years ago a partial eclipse of the sun occurred soon after 
rising, and although I went some miles on foot to a favorable 
locality near Oakland, Cal., and noted the activity, songs, etc., of 
the birds for two hours, I was unable to connect any of these events 
with the eclipse, which was so slight, that I doubt if the birds were 
at all conscious of anything unusual. 
Had I anticipated anything so wonderful as the total eclipse 
proved to be, I should have endeavored to stimulate observers to 
' take the field and have suggested a schedule upon which to record 
correlative phenomena during the afternoon. With such material 
a generalization might have been made developing new facts. As 
it is I can but give the notes which I made at Healdsburg, Sonoma 
county, at which place the eclipse was total for about fifty seconds, 
and I believe the line of totality extended for some eight miles be- 
yond. 
My observations were made while photographing phases of the 
eclipse ina vineyard about one hundred yards from large, leafless 
white oaks, and two hundred yards from a grove of madrofio. The 
location was quite favorable, being upon high ground between 
Russian River and Dry Creek, and fairly swarming with birds, 
principally robins, whose medley of calls and sna rivaled the con- 
fusion in a bird-store. : 
Not having any one to call time for me the seconds were not 
taken, nor are they important in this connection. Observations — 
were recorded every five minutes after 1:20, some time before any 
noticeable effects upon the birds were seen, and half an hour before 
totality ; also, for half an hour following wee te which occurred at * 
Healdsburg about £ 350. 
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