40 YAHONK! 



an equable climate* Beside the recently advanced 

 prairie railway a newly arrived flock from the south 

 will crane their glossy black necks and display their 

 broad, white throat-bands as the noisy locomotive 

 charges past with its burden* The belching smoke 

 is a hint to move another stage northward before 

 disbanding to locate their summer homes. 



The picture of a passing flock is indelibly 

 impressed* They flew conveniently low over the 

 tortuous hills, the leader holding his place at the 

 head of the broad '* V *' with nineteen aligned 

 on his right, and twenty-five on his left. There was 

 a magnificent aspect of determination in those forty- 

 five necks strained rigidly forward toward the new 

 home in the remote north. Calls of encouragement 

 were frequently sounded and answered, and near the 

 leader the steady flapping was varied by an occasional 

 change of position. They passed so low that every 

 distended pinion could be distinctly seen. Their 

 heavy bodies and sturdy wings rapidly grew less 

 distinct, and soon blended into a dark, wavy line 

 against the low, thin clouds above the horizon. 



The sun was still high and the atmosphere clear* 

 Their calls did not seem to grow faint as rapidly as 

 their outlines diminished. Soon in the concealing 

 distance they faded and reappeared until they could 

 not be distinguished from the shaded edges of the 

 horizon clouds* As their calls still came back fancy 



