CHAPTER VI 



THE PLAINS AND COLORADO 



The opening of the college in September neces- 

 sitated our return to Princeton early in the month, 

 though I was loath to leave Barnegat, and to 

 forego further continuous observation here, for it 

 presented much both of a novel and interesting 

 character. 



Few people realize the wealth revealed to the 



careful and observant collector in any field of 



nature. At this time comparatively little was 



known about the exact details of the migrations 



of some of the commoner shore birds, and there 



are questions still to be solved. For instance, as 



to the presence of such birds as the dowitcher, 



the knot, and the turnstone on the coast of 



Florida, and in intervening regions from there 



northward to New Jersey during the months of 



June and July. The two former birds, at least, 



breed very far north, and yet are represented by 



an appreciable element of individuals even as far 



south as southern Florida in midsummer. But 



the point to which I wish to call attention is 



the short space of time spent by the dowitcher 



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