112 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doc. 



northward migrations, and, crossing the moutli of Narra- 

 gansett Bay, pass up Buzzard's Bay or its west shore, 

 crossing Wareham and Plymouth, and thus reaching the 

 shores or waters of Cape Cod Bay, leaving Cape Cod out of 

 their itinerary. The distance saved by such a course is 

 from fifty to one hundred miles. 



Observation shows that many birds take advantage of 

 this saving of time and distance both in their northward 

 and southward journeyings, though many more follow on 

 around the devious shores of the Cape. Flights of land 

 birds Avhicli have crossed the comparatively narrow channels 

 of Narragansett Bay into Tiverton, Westport and Dart- 

 mouth are checked and turned northward by the broad 

 expanse of Buzzard's Bay, most of them passing up its 

 western shore, and, becoming somewhat massed here, spread 

 out again over Wareham, Plymouth, Carver and Middle- 

 borough, on their way northward and eastward. The field 

 of observation, therefore, is particularly favorable for the 

 study of migrating birds. 



The winters are conn)aratively mild, Avith rather more 

 rain and less snow than falls in western Massachusetts. 

 The thermometer usually remains well above zero, dropping 

 to that point occasionally, but seldom remaining long below 

 it. Snow does not usually lie at great depth, or long at a 

 time. 



We are somewhat protected from the east and north-east 

 winds, wdiich sweep the coast of Massachusetts Bay, by a 

 tract of hilly and partially wooded country, sixteen miles 

 wide, which lies between the head of Buzzard's Bay and the 

 coast at Plymouth. IVfany birds, Avhich forsake the colder 

 and more snowy regions of the State in winter, remain along 

 the shores of Buzzard's Bay all tliis inclement season. 

 Jays, crows, flickers and cedar birds are commonly seen. 

 Song sparrows, robins, shore larks, myrtle Avarl)lers and 

 other land birds are more or less plentiful, in addition to 

 the usual winter residents or migrants. Gulls and certain 

 other sea birds winter here in some numbers. For the past 

 two seasons a kingfisher has wintered along the river, and 

 swamp sparrows and meadow larks are sometimes seen. It 



