2A.8 Mackay oji Fly Lines. y j^ y 



borealis), Hudsonian Curlew (TV. hudsonicus), the Greater 

 Yellowlegs (Totanus melanoleucus) , Yellowlegs {Totanus 



Jlavipcs), also some of the land birds, and many of the Ducks, 

 as the American Eider {Somatcria dresseri) , Oldsquaw {Clan- 

 gula hy emalis) and others, when sojourning in a locality, and 

 at times during migration, follow a definite Fly Line. 



To exactly define the Fly Line of sojourning birds is not 

 always easy, for, as I have remarked, each day is a rule unto 

 itself according to the prevailing weather conditions ; it therefore 

 may require a longer or shorter period of observation, but when 

 it is known to the experienced sportsman the birds are very apt to 

 suffer. Temporary Fly Lines which may form a part of lines of a 

 migratory flight, as also lines of flight proper, are comparatively 

 easy to ascertain, being in almost all instances governed by wind 

 and weather, but not invariably so. Fly Lines of sojourning birds 

 are not seemingly always governed by the weather conditions, the 

 objective point sought sometimes causing exceptions by reason of 

 location, nearness to buildings, intervening hills, etc. It might 

 appear, on viewing some large marsh where all was apparently 

 o-nod « , round, that one location would be as favorable as another 

 for the birds to fly over ; such a conclusion would be a mistaken 

 one, for though it may have an area of a thousand acres there 

 may be only two or three places that can be called good, for the 

 reason that, owing to its topography, direction of wind, etc., con- 

 ditions may arise which may cause Fly Lines to touch only in cer- 

 tain places, other portions of the marsh being passed over but 

 little by the birds. To the inexperienced it is again merely 

 chance which directs such movements of birds, but the close ob- 

 server sees purpose, and, the cause being known, the result can 

 be predicted. 



Why is this? And what is it that causes the above results? As 

 my explanation must necessarily be based on my individual ex- 

 perience, which, while it has covered a number of years on 

 the coast, is nevertheless only the result of one person's obser- 

 vations, which may or may not be modified by more extensive 

 data, I am compelled to present an explanation which is not 

 altogether satisfying even to myself. Consequently I offer it 

 simply as a contribution to a subject on which little thus far has 

 been written. 



