THE BIRD-LIFE OF A YEAK. 



31 



Migrants arriving from the North. 



It is an interesting fact that the last migrants to 

 leave in the fall are the first to arrive in the spring. 



The bird-life of November, when the fall migra- 

 tion is practically concluded, closely resembles, there- 

 fore, that of March, when the spring migration is 

 inaugurated. 



The reason for this similarity is to be found in 

 the fact that both months furnish birds Avith essen- 

 tially the same kind of food. Thus the Loon, Grebes, 

 Ducks, Geese, and Kingfisher remain until Novem- 

 ber or early December, when the forming of ice de- 

 prives them of food and forces them to seek open 

 water. Woodcock and Snipe linger until they can 

 no longer probe the frost-hardened earth; but the 

 thaws of March will bring all these birds back to us 

 by restoring their food. 



* Transient Visitant passing further south, 

 f Winter Visitant. 



