The Birds' Calendar 



flocks than during the summer, and are leading 

 a tramp's life as they roam about in search of 

 food. One of the most striking instances of 

 such an assembling of great numbers preparatory 

 to migration, is that of the white-breasted swal- 

 low, in speaking of which Mr. Maynard says 

 that they gather ' ' upon the salt marshes dur- 

 ing the latter part of August and first of Sep- 

 tember, literally by millions : the air is so 

 completely filled with them that it is almost im- 

 possible to discharge a gun without killing 

 some." Anyone in the country can hardly 

 fail to notice also the large flocks of red-winged 

 blackbirds flying about at this time, and in 

 August also, conspicuous objects both on ac- 

 count of size and their chattering noise. 



As a general thing .(with some exceptions, of 

 course) the earliest migrants in spring are the 

 latest in autumn, and the latest in spring the 

 earliest in autumn, and a little reflection will 

 show the reason of this. Crackles, robins, blue- 

 birds, song sparrows, fox sparrows, and hermit 

 thrushes are among the first to come, and the 

 last to disappear, while the less hardy species, 

 and those whose food-supply is conditioned upon 

 much warmer weather, arrive late and depart 

 early, such as many of the finches and warblers. 



254 



