460 Rathbux, Water Birds of the Puget Sound. [octi 



necessary for an existence ; this fact being strongly impressed upon 

 the observer by the abundance of bird life that will be seen more 

 particularly during the period of the winter months, at which season 

 the number of individual birds exceed that, that may be noted dur- 

 ing the balance of the year. 



Relative to the equable climatic conditions that prevail it is 

 quite appropriate to quote from " U. S. Department of Agriculture, 

 Weather Bureau Summary of the Climatological data for the United 

 States" "Section 19, Western Washington," which information 

 has been courteously given me by Mr. G. N. Salisbury, Section 

 Director at Seattle. 



" The mean temperature of the Puget Sound country ranges from 

 38 degrees in mid-winter to 62 degrees in mid-summer, while the 

 range near the coast is considerably less, being from 40 degrees in 

 winter to 60 degrees in summer. The average daily march of 

 temperature in the Puget Sound region is from 35 degrees to 45 

 degrees in mid-winter and from 55 degrees to 75 degrees in mid- 

 summer. The average daily range is noticeably small in winter, 

 showing the equability of temperature," "Frequently in winter the 

 difference between the day and night temperatures is only 5 degrees 

 or less." 



It would thus appear that in so far as the mean temperature of 

 the region during winter is concerned, it must prove attractive to 

 many species at that season and when to this is added the other 

 requirements necessary to sustain life, one reason of the region 

 being so favored by the aquatic species is quite obvious. 



There may be an additional reason for this abundant bird life 

 during the winter, as it is quite possible that during the autumnal 

 migration, the probable route followed by a majority of the mi- 

 grants is along the east side of Vancouver Island to a point of 

 intersection with the Straits of Juan de Fuca at the Straits eastern 

 terminus, at which intersectional point a certain amount of " bank- 

 ing" or accumulation of individuals occurs, although no doubt a 

 proportion continue to migrate towards the Pacific Ocean to the 

 westward, or follow the Sound southward. But that this accumu- 

 lation does occur is quite probable for at and within a fairly defined 

 radius of the intersectional point named, will be found during the 

 winter months the greater abundance of bird life, not necessarily 



