A BIRDLOVER'S YEAR 



of birds massed together take part in migra- 

 tion. 



There is some parallel to migration to be 

 found in other zoological tribes. For in- 

 stance, the salmon descends to the sea after 

 spawning in fresh-water, and in tropical 

 countries sometimes great journeys are under- 

 taken by masses of insects. Swarms of 

 locusts or ants pass over districts and leave 

 behind them utter devastation, whilst hosts 

 of butterflies and moths occasionally cross 

 the Channel. There are curious little 

 rodents, the lemmings, found in northern 

 countries, which now and again band 

 together in enormous numbers and rush 

 blindly on and on until they reach the 

 ocean, where they all perish. But with 

 the exception of fish, none of these are 

 proper and regular migrants. It is the 

 birds who are the real and systematic 

 travellers. 



Following the course of the sandpiper, 

 we find him in the month of March still in 

 his winter quarters, which may be India, 

 South Africa, or Australia. But when " the 

 spring's cool kiss is on the sod," the instinct 

 to migrate dominates this little bird, and 



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