54 MEMOIRS OF THE NUTTALL ORNITHOLOGICAL CLUB. 



and general impressions in the absence of records are often unreliable, — would 

 suggest one or more of three things : first, a diminution in the number of birds ; 

 second, a change in their course of flight ; or, third, an acquired knowledge and 

 avoidance of the dangerous lights. The last explanation may appear fanciful, 

 but Dixon, 1 in speaking of the nets placed on the shores of the Wash to catch 

 the autumn migrants, says that " the birds are learning, by many years' experi- 

 ence, to avoid these snares, flying over instead of through them, and that noth- 

 ing like the numbers are caught nowadays." 



Thinking to obtain some light on this question I wrote to the keepers at 

 Point Lepreaux, New Brunswick, and at Fire Island. At the former station, in 

 1885, Mr. Brewster 2 made his classic observations on bird migration, finding 

 numerous birds attracted to their destruction by this light, while Mr. Dutcher 3 

 studied the destruction of birds at Fire Island, in 1882 and 1883. The letter 

 from Point Lepreaux, under date of February 25th, 1904, is as follows : 



"About six years ago the old fixed light was burned down. A year later a re- 

 volving light was built and since then there have been but few birds killed, probably 



not more than fifty birds in the five years But few strike the glass, but they scale 



off without being injured. The lighthouse is now situated some fifty yards farther 



from the fog alarm than the old building " 



(Signed) G. Herbert Thomas, Light-keeper. 



Owing to these changes in the character and location of the light no argu- 

 ments can be deduced from the reduction in the number of birds killed. The 

 letter from the keeper at Fire Island, dated September 29th, 1904, is as follows : 



"There are not as many birds killed by striking the lantern as in years gone by. 

 .... There were three Wild Geese killed one night last winter and about twenty song 

 birds killed one night this fall, and about fifteen another night. There seem to be a 

 great many congregate here for the fall migration." 



{Signed) E. S. Mott, Keeper, Fire Is/and L. H. 



In 1882, Mr. Dutcher reports that 256 birds were killed at this light, and 

 in 1883, 562 birds. The falling off in numbers of late years is certainly 

 remarkable. 



The following are the results of my inquiries on the Essex County coast. 



(1) Newburyport Light : a fixed light of the fourth order, 50 feet above 

 sea level on a tower 35 feet high. Under date of April 8th, 1903, the following 

 letter was written to me by the keeper : 



1 Charles Dixon: British Sea Birds, p. 294, 1S96. 



2 Wm. Brewster: Bird Migration, Mem. Nuttall Orn. Club, no. 1, 1886. 



3 Wm. Dutcher: Auk, vol. 1, p. 174, 1884. 



