58 



HOMING AND RELATED ACTIVITIES OF BIRDS. 



homeward flight. That more birds did not return from Galveston harbor 

 is not to be wondered at when we consider the number of hawks which Hne the 

 Texas shores. Our birds reached there tired out and probably remained on 

 the shore for a time to rest; they would have made easy victims for birds of 

 prey. It is probable that the hawks are in part to blame for the poor results 

 we obtained from the Mobile flights.* 



Table 21. — Time required for return {individual birds). 

 5S5-milc release, i 720-mile release. 855-mile release. 



No. 8, 5d. 55 h. 

 No. 9, 4d. 6 h. 

 No. 10, 5 d. 21 h. 

 No. 11, 7 d. 21 h. 

 No. 12, 7 d. 1 h. 

 No. 20, 5 d. 2| h. 

 No. 22, 3 d. 22| h. 

 No. 24, G d. 4i h. 



No. 17, 17 d. 2h. 

 No. IS, 11 d. 13 h. 



No. 1, 6d. 2 h. 

 No. 5, 7d. h. 

 No. 14, 11 d. 23J h. 



It would scom from all these experiments that where projjer conditions are 

 maintained the noddy and sooty can home from almost any distance up to 

 at least 1,000 miles. Furthermore, the territory over which they take their 

 flight apparently may be barren of any visual objects to which tlie>' j^rcviously 

 may have established habits. 



♦Id future experiments we sucKest that they be released not less than 50 miles from any land. 



