BIRDS HUNTED FOR FOOD OR SPORT. 189 



nearly always in the night, and that the dates when the large 

 flocks leave Cape Cod coincide with the dates of their arrival 

 at the island. About June 1, those in the district around 

 Charlottetown (which probably comprise a great part of the 

 Atlantic coast flight) begin to assemble in Hillsborough Bay, 

 outside of Charlottetown harbor, on the south side of the 

 island. Here they gather between St. Peters and Governor's 

 islands, in preparation for their northern journey. From June 

 10 to 15 they leave in large flocks. Sometimes four or five 

 such flocks follow one another, about a mile apart. They 

 start northward, enter Charlottetown harbor, proceeding 

 about two miles toward the city, then turn to the westward 

 up West River, which they follow to near its head, when they 

 wheel to the northwest and cross the island heading for the 

 Gulf of St. Lawrence. Mr. Carbonnell is informed that they 

 sometimes turn eastward and go up East River until near Mt. 

 Stewart, when they turn northward and cross a neck of land 

 to Tracadie Bay, on the Gulf of St. Lawrence. Possibly the 

 choice of routes may depend on the direction of the wind. 



Here observers agree that they fly to the west or south- 

 west and go up the Gulf of St. Lawrence, finally turning 

 overland on its northern shore. How the Brant reach the 

 Arctic Ocean from this point is still their own secret. They 

 are never seen in spring on the west shore of Hudson Bay. 

 Possibly they may go up the east shore of the bay or cross 

 the peninsula to the shores of Ungava. The average date on 

 which the flocks reach the Gulf of St. Lawrence (latitude 46 

 degrees) is March 23, and they reach latitude 79 degrees 

 about May 30, — an average speed of thirty-four miles per 

 day (Cooke). 



The most northern record of the Brant according to the 

 same authority, is latitude 82 degrees 33 minutes, on the north 

 coast of Grinnell Land. In this route of migration w^e have 

 an explanation of the great apparent numbers of the Brant. 

 Practically all the individuals of the species collect from a 

 great area beyond the arctic circle and concentrate upon one 

 line of flight along the Atlantic coast. The individuals of the 

 Black Brant collect in a similar manner for a similar flight 



