38 THE FEATHERED TRIBES. 



mild winter, and where even a slight degree of frost is not usnal, the stork ivgularly 

 leaves the place upon the approach of that season. 



In like manner, the quail, which in spring is diffused over all the temperate regions of 

 Europe, is kno\vn to betake itself, in autumn, to the coasts of Africa, and to penetrate 

 into Arabia and Persia. Though their wings are small, tliey cross the Mediterranean ; 

 they wait whole weeks for a favourable wind, reposing on every small isle ; and hence 

 they are taken by thousands on the Ionian isles and the coast of Asia. A sudden change 

 of wind, however, causes numbers of them to perish in the waters. Swallows have been 

 seen crossing the ^Mediterranean in autumn towards the African shores ; but in reference 

 to this bird, and many others, wp are still left to say with the poet : — 



" As fables tell, an Indian sage, 



The Hindostani woods among, 

 Could in liis desert hermitage, 

 A.S if 'twere mark'd in written page. 



Translate the wild bird's song. 



•' I wish I did his power possess, 



That I might learn, fleet bird, from thee, 

 ^ATiat oui- vain systems only guess. 

 And know to what wide wilderness 



You go across the sea." 



A remarkable example of extensive migration is afforded by the passenger-jjigeon of 

 America, tlie history of which is given bj' Audubon, in his "(Jrnitliological Biography:" 

 — "The most important facts," he says, " connected with its habits, relate to its migra- 

 tions. These are entirely owing to the necessity of prociu-ing food, and are not performed 

 with the view of escaping the severity of a northern latitude, or of seeking a soutliern one 

 for the purpose of breeding. Thej' consequently do not take place at any fixed period or 

 season of the year ; indeed, it sometimes happens, that a continuance of sufficient supplv of 

 food in one district will keep these birds absent from another for years. I Imow, at least, 

 to a certainty, that in Kentucky they remained for several years constantly, and were 

 nowhere else to be found. They all suddenly disappeared one season when the maize was 

 exhausted, and did not return for a long period. Similar focts liavc been observed in 

 other states. 



" In the autumn of 181:j, I left my house at Henderson, on the banks of the Ohio, on 

 my way to LouisviUe. In passing over the Barrens, a few miles beyond Ilardensburgh, 

 I observed the pigeons fljing from north-east to south-west, in greater numbers than I 

 thought I had ever seen them before ; and feeling ai: inclination to count the tiocks that 

 might pass within the reach of my eye in one hour, I dismounted, seated myself on an 

 eminence, and began to jnai-k witli my pencil, making a dot for every flock that passed. 

 lu a short time, finding the task which I had undertaken impracticable, as the birds 

 poui'ed on in countless multitudes, I rose, and counting the dots then put down, found 

 that 10:5 had been made in twenty-one minutes. I travelled on, and slill met more tlie 

 farther I proceeded. Tlie air was literally filled with pigeons ; the light ol' noon-day 

 was obscured as by an eclipse ; the dung fell in spots, not unlike melting flakes of snow ; 

 and the continued hw/.y. (>[' wings had a tendency to lull my senses to repose. 



" Wliiist waitiiii;- lor dinner at Young's inn, at the confluence of tlie Salt-river with 

 llic Ohio, I saw, at my leisure, immense legions still going by, witli a front reaching far 

 beyond the (Jhio on the west and tlic bcccli-wood forests directly on the east of me. Not 

 a single bird alighted; for not a nut or acorn was that year to be .seen in tlie neighbour- 

 hood. The}' consequently flew so high, that diftcreni trials to reach tlieiii with a capital 

 rifle proved ineffectual : nor did (he repoi-ts disturb them in the least. I cannot describe 

 to you the extreme beauty of their aerial evolutions, when u ha^\■k chanced to press iq)on 



