CHAPTER VI 



THE PLAINS AND COLORADO 



THE opening of the college in September neces- 

 sitated our return to Princeton early in the month, 

 though I was loath to leave Barnegat, and to 

 forego further continuous observation here, for it 

 presented much both of a novel and interesting 

 character. 



Few people realize the wealth revealed to the 

 careful and observant collector in any field of 

 nature. At this time comparatively little was 

 known about the exact details of the migrations 

 of some of the commoner shore birds, and there 

 are questions still to be solved. For instance, as 

 to the presence of such birds as the dowitcher, 

 the knot, and the turnstone on the coast of 

 Florida, and in intervening regions from there 

 northward to New Jersey during the months of 

 June and July. The two former birds, at least, 

 breed very far north, and yet are represented by 

 an appreciable element of individuals even as far 

 south as southern Florida in midsummer. But 

 the point to which I wish to call attention is 



the short space of time spent by the dowitcher 



107 



