CjA MERRIAM, Preliminary Report on Bird Migration. [January 



thousand sets of blank schedules and circulars to the lighthouses, 

 lightships, and beacons of the United States and British North 

 America. .Several hundred of these schedules have already 

 been returned to the Committee, and almost every mail brings 

 one or more. A large number of the heads and wings of birds 

 which dash themselves against the lights have been sent to the 

 Chairman for indentification. Among them is one of the rarest 

 of North American birds — Swainson's Warbler (Helo)icra 

 sivainsoni} — which was kindly forwarded by the keeper of the 

 lighthouse at Sombrero Key. The schedules entitled "Birds 

 striking the Light" contain data of an exceptionally valuable 

 character, and throw much light on several problems not within 

 reach of the ordinary observer. 



The Committee has now established observation stations in 

 every State in the Union, and in every Territory, excepting 

 Nevada ; and it is gratifying to know that returns have already 

 been received from nearly one thousand observers. Compara- 

 tively few of these observers are ornithologists, or even bird col- 

 lectors, the great bulk being intelligent farmers, tradesmen, and 

 light-keepers. Those who know only the commonest birds, such 

 as the Robin, Bluebird, or Chimney Swift, can contribute data of 

 great value, and their services are eagerly sought. 



The area over which the observation stations are scattered is 

 co-extensive with the boundaries of the inhabited portions of the 

 North American Continent. In the East, the southernmost 

 station from which returns have been received is Sombrero Key, 

 off Southern Florida (latitude 24 37') ; and the northernmost. 

 Belle Isle, off Labrador (latitude 51 53'). In the West, reports 

 have come to hand from Arizona and Southern California, and 

 from Point Barrow, the most northerly point of Arctic Alaska 

 (latitude 71 18'). The easternmost station from which data 

 have been received is St. John's, Newfoundland (west longi- 

 tude 52° 45') , projecting well into the Atlantic; while on the 

 Pacific the Committee has observers at various points in Cali- 

 fornia, Oregon, Washington, and British Columbia. 



Hence it appears that the migration stations of the American 

 Ornithologists' Union are sprinkled over 46 41' of latitude 

 (approximately three thousand two hundred miles in a north and 

 south direction), and 72 15' of longitude (approximately three 

 thousand five hundred miles in an east and west direction). The 



