10 



there according to the seasons, as in India and with us. Such 

 birds as the real Bimaculated Duck and the Red-breasted Goose 

 may very likely spread over a great portion of Northern Asia, 

 and yet not migrate so far south as India. There can, however, 

 be little doubt but that some species are distributed laterally to 

 a much greater extent than others. If anyone takes a map of 

 the world and looks at the extent of country inhabited by a spe- 

 cies, which occurs in all the four quarters of the globe, and pro- 

 bably breeds in three of them Europe, Asia, and America he 

 may consider the numbers it is likely to consist of, and the little 

 fear there consequently is of any appreciable harm being done in 

 killing, you may say, any quantity you can. 



The summer residence of a bird is properly its home ; thither 

 it goes to perform the office nature intended it. Probably 

 throughout the northern portion of the world a similar migra- 

 tion is taking place at the same season, the unbounded and thinly 

 populated swamps, and wastes, and forests during summer afford- 

 ing food and shelter for myriads of old birds repairing to them at 

 that season, and which (probably multiplied on an average three- 

 fold by their young), on the advance of autumn again scatter 

 themselves to obtain food, as well as to form food for man and 

 other animals. The same process has gone on since the com- 

 mencement of time, and will continue to do so as long as the 

 world lasts. Though some birds are summer migrants with us, 

 and others winter migrants, the same course is pursued, and for 

 similar purposes ; the only difference is, that our summer mig- 

 rants are more tender than those of winter. It would appear 

 that those species whose visits are least frequent are not intended 

 to be our companions, and consequently their destruction is of 

 little importance. If the species is intended to be useful in a 

 country, it establishes itself in spite of all opposition. The elas- 

 ticity, if I may so call it, of species is surprising. Who could 

 estimate the number of Skylarks used annually in London alone ? 

 And yet the species is as plentiful as ever, and that without 

 man's aid. Nature's supplies appear to be without limit in most 



C. M. A. 



