108 Pictures of Bird Life 



tlic minute differences between tlie pluniaijce of many hirds 

 (especially Turdina') in their first sprint- dress and adults. 

 Hut the fact that y<)uni>- birds do mi(>Tate half across the 

 surface of the ^lobe without any assistance from their 

 parents is sufficieirtly astonishing, and the wonder is. not 

 that one or two o'o astray, but that so many tliousands 

 succeed in findino- their way alone and with no previous 

 experience to guide them. 



It is known also that birds which are bound to the extreme 

 northern latitudes, instead of starting early on account of the 

 longer distance, actually start some months later. They know 

 in some mysterious way that if they arri\'e at their destination 

 too soon they will find the country thickly covered with 

 snow and the rivers still ice-bound. 



Chapman notes that in Spain " there is a distinct arrival 

 of Swallows in February (early in March many already have 

 eggs), yet the 'through transit' of \ast bodies — destined 

 perhaps to populate Lapland and Siberia — is conspicuous 

 throughout April and even into ^lay." 



^^'here^'er trees are foimd, there the 'I'ree-creeper may be 

 seen, creeping spirally up the trunks and l)ranches. \\nien 

 stationary, the sharpest eye would witli difhculty detect it 

 at all, and wlien i>i()\ ing ujjwards in jerks it might be taken 

 for a mouse. The back is mottled with different shades of 

 brown, making it almost invisible against the weather-stained 

 branches. AVatching its progress, it suddenly disappears round 

 the farther side, and after an internal its sihery breast and 

 long curved beak come into view again higher up. With its 



