PACE AND LAST 109 



birds of more rapid flight, and besides this, though 

 they had descended from their lofty heights, they 

 were, unlike the birds at Rossitten, still straining 

 towards the land. But in any case Dr. Thienemann's 

 observations, in point both of method and results, 

 are interesting and valuable. The pace of no less 

 than twenty Grey Crows flying at different times 

 under varying circumstances was measured, and the 

 average velocity, after allowance had been made for 

 the wind, was 50*04 kilometres, or 3T5 miles per 

 hour. Two Jackdaws had an average of 39*6 miles. 

 A Starling flew at the rate of 46' 5. Six Finches 

 averaged 33*0, two Crossbills 37' 5. This is about 

 what we should have expected. But these definite 

 observations are much better than the shrewdest 

 of guesses. 



Velocity of Migratory Flights. 



There is good reason to believe that birds while 

 migrating attain far greater velocity than they do 

 in their ordinary flights. Let us take an example 

 for which there seems to be strong evidence, though 

 it is almost too marvellous to be true. The American 

 Golden Plovers breed in Arctic regions, from Alaska 

 to Greenland, above the limits of forest growth, and 

 when autumn comes they pass over Nova Scotia, 

 strike boldly out to sea, and, generally leaving the 

 Bermudas well to the west, sail on over the ocean till 

 they reach the West Indies. It is difficult to believe 

 that these are merely stray birds that have been 

 blown out of their course and are sailing on to death. 

 One witness after another declares that he has seen 

 flocks of them flying southward several hundred 



