12 BIRDS OF P. E. ISLAND. 



weeks in coming from the Eastern States. Other 

 swift - winged species, as the night - hawk and the 

 swift, cover the same ground in two or three 

 days. Birds migrate mostly by night, rising to a 

 great height, often one or two miles, so as to 

 have a bioad view of the country and easily shape 

 their course. The vast numbers composing these 

 migratory flocks may be judged from the fact that 

 600 birds — warblers, finches, etc. — have been known 

 to kill themselves in a single night, by dashing 

 against the light -house of San Antonio, Cuba. 



We have seen a fleet of a hundred robins arrive 

 in the early dawn of a spring morning. The 

 birds seemed much excited, flying about and call- 

 ing loudly, as if conscious that they had accom- 

 plished an important undertaking, and were excited 

 over a return to their old summer haunts. What a 

 scene of glad jollity it was ! Frozen snow covered 

 the landscape, and the crystal jewels of winter 

 flashed from every spray. But voices of friend- 

 ship, and jo)-, and love were ringing from every 

 tree top, and lading with rich music the golden 

 billows of morning. It came a carnival of joy 

 after winter's dreary barrenness, and bade us 

 remember how much the world does owe to the 



