246 Mack ay on Fly Lines. [ J ]u\' 



when such a Fly Line is adopted, the birds will undeviatingly 

 follow it, flock after flock, though no coming birds can be seen 

 when the last flock is passing out of sight. As illustrations must 

 necessarily be repetitions, they being much alike, I shall confine 

 myself to only a few species out of a number which have come 

 under my observation. 



It took me a number of years to learn what Fly Lines were, or 

 that there were such, or to recognize in them a regularity of 

 movement under varying conditions. Afterwards I found it of 

 great service during my shooting trips. I have heard people who 

 had not given the subject especial attention express the view that 

 birds in general fly aimlessly about, securing sufficient food for 

 their daily wants, and getting out of harm's way when necessary. 

 I can scarcely agree to such an opinion, my observations leading 

 me to conclude that birds display a purpose in evervthing ; it 

 seems to me only necessary to study their habits to become con- 

 vinced of this. Those who have had more or less experience as 

 sportsmen on the coast find it not a difficult matter, in most cases, 

 to distinguish, when far distant, species with which they are 

 familiar by their appearance, manner of flight, and note, for each 

 is characterized by ways and traits peculiarly its own, a knowl- 

 edge of which often enables one to anticipate their movements. 

 Notice, for example, a flock of Brant {Branta bcr?u'cla) gyrating 

 in the air on some warm April or May day when the wind is 

 southwest ; does it mean anything ? If you have studied them 

 you will know that soon they will start on their line of migration, 

 this first movement being indicative of the one which follows it. 

 Should the early morning find you on the sea coast at the proper 

 season and place, you will observe that the first few flocks of 

 Scoters appear to pass in about the same line and headed in the 

 same direction, as if moving from one definite point to another ; 

 and you will find that this will be their Fly Line while the same 

 weather conditions prevail. It may seem that chance has so 

 directed them, but wait and see, and you will become convinced 

 that such is not the case. I have known these Scoters, when 

 flying by the south side of Nantucket Island, at some distance 

 from the shore, to change their course at a fixed though invisible 

 point and turn in towards the beach at a given spot, and that all 

 succeeding flocks would follow this line although none might be 





