THE PASSING OF THE BIRDS. 185 



birds. They flew directly south, at a mod- 

 erate height, and were almost certainly de- 

 tachments of one body. The bluebird move- 

 ment was two days later, at about the same 

 hour, the morning being cold, with a little 

 snow f ailing. This time, too, as it happened, 

 the flock was in four detachments. Three 

 of these were too compact to be counted as 

 they passed; the fourth and largest one was 

 in looser order and contained a little more 

 than a hundred individuals. In all, as well 

 as I could guess, there might have been about 

 three hundred birds. They kept a straight 

 course southward, flying high, and with the 

 usual calls, which, in autumn at least, al- 

 ways have to my ears a sound of farewell. 

 Was it a mere coincidence that these swal- 

 lows, bluebirds, and robins were all crossing 

 the valley just at this point ? 



This question, too, I count it safer to ask 

 than to answer, but all observers, I am sure, 

 must have remarked so much as this, that 

 birds, even on their migrations, are subject 

 to strong local preferences. An ornitholo- 

 gist of the highest repute assures me that 

 his own experience has convinced him so 

 strongly of this fact that if he shoots a rare 



