THE GREAT CARAVAN ROUTE. 133 



are the ships of the air as the camels are ships of the 

 desert. 



Often the caravan is overtaken by a storm and 

 many birds die, or, when they are resting in some 

 friendly thicket or grove, robbers in the shape of 

 hawks attack them. It is by no means an easy 

 journey, and yet, by far the larger part of the birds 

 that are with us in the summer make it not once but 

 twice a year. 



Some birds prefer to travel by day, and these have 

 no difficulty in finding the way. Many of you have 

 heard in the pleasant autumn days, far above, the honk 

 of the wild geese, and you can imagine that the old 

 goose, at the head of the great V-shaped line, can find, 

 from his great height, landmarks in rivers and lakes 

 which he has passed before and remembers. 



But most of the birds go by night — if you think of 

 the robber hawks you will guess why — and for them 

 the journey is far harder. But even at night, if it is 

 clear, ponds shine and the mountains loom up dark 

 and large, and the old birds that have been that way 

 before find landmarks to steer by. 



They call from time to time, and the rest of the 

 caravan coming behind answer them. On they fly 

 till dawn, when they drop down, tired and hungry, to 

 rest through the day, and perhaps for several days, 

 before they take another night journey. 



