Taverner and Swales — On Point Pelee Birds. 119 



had been before. The migrations were late in starting, and 

 consequently we were able to observe occurrences of the earlier 

 migrations that we had heretofore missed. We judge that at 

 this time the migrations were about a week later than normal 

 and this should be remembered in connection with the dates of 

 the preceding list. The great bulk of the earlier wader mi- 

 grants were still present when we arrived, and we found con- 

 siderable numbers of other species that we' had not previoiisly 

 noted or had seen but few stragglers of in the fall. On previous 

 visits most of the shore birds observed had been juveniles but 

 this season we found a gocd many adults among them. 



The warblers as a family had not yet ccme down in their 

 usual fall abundance up to the time when we left. Some 

 species, it is true, were unusually comn:on, such as the Mourn- 

 ing Warbler and Water-Thrush, but at no time were there any 

 such numbers of many species of this family as were noted 

 September i and 5, 1905, or 1 to 3, 190G. 



On the whole, gauged by the results obtained, this was one 

 of the most important trips we have made and substantiated 

 in striking manner many of our ideas of the migrational im- 

 portance of Point Pelee. Of this more anon. 



The next visit to the Point was made by Swales and Wal- 

 lace, May 1-3, 1908. The weather was most unseasonably 

 cold and stormy during these days. A heavy gale blew all 

 the first two^ days with a blinding snow storm the forenoon 

 of the latter. The waters of Lake Erie were very high and a 

 good part of the Point was under water. This had a most in- 

 teresting effect on the marsh dwellers who were driven from 

 their usual habitats well into the wooded sections. Rails 

 were found running around among the red cedars near the end 

 of the Point and the Marsh Wrens invaded the haunts of the 

 Winter Wrens. On the marsh itself, where usually is seen 

 nothing but an all-covering and all-concealing mass of reeds 

 and cat-tails was open water over which Gallinules and Cools 

 paddled and cackled and laughed in the broad light of day, 

 laying bare some of their most hidden life-history secrets. 

 The Bitterns, both American and Least, unable to reach the 

 muddv bottom or find stable footing in their usual haunts. 



