Allen on the Destruction oj Birds hy Zight-honscs. 135 



stantly killed. At one time the whole element was ablaze with [them, 

 shining in the rays of light like myriads of little stars or meteors. The 

 moon arose by ten o'clock, which afforded them light to go on their way 

 South (for they were coming from the North and goins; down the coast 

 South). I do not think one bird stopped alone, or went into the woods at 

 all, as not one was seen, for I particularly noticed. After the moon was 

 up, one of the birds came striking the lantern glass. I went out and gath- 

 ered from the balcony of the watch-room and lantern three hundred and 

 fifty dead birds, besides one hundred and forty that were picked up the 

 next morning off the ground at the foot of the tower, which had been 

 blown off the balconies. They were a species known here as 'myrtle bird,' 

 or ' winter yellow ' bird. They are about the size of the sparrow, with 

 gray back and yellow breast. They are excellent food." 



20. Hunting Island Light, S. C. (entrance of St. Helena Sound). Flash- 

 ing white light; height, 136 feet. S. B.Wright, keeper. March 30, 

 1877. — "The birds killed by flying against the tower embrace nearly all 

 kinds of Ducks and sea-fowl, and of wood and marsh birds. They are 

 mostly killed in the fall and early winter, but are found dead at intervals 

 all winter. During the past winter we have obtained in this way but few 

 Ducks, Teal, Widgeon, and Coot. During several successive nights in 

 October we gathered a peck of large fat Rice-birds each night, and there 

 were hundreds of other varieties lying around the tower dead or wounded. 

 Our cats and hogs had all they could eat. This was during a severe gale 

 of northeast wind and rain. During stormy nights in winter there are 

 often hundreds of birds roosting on the wire netting around the light." 



21. St. Augustine Light, St. Augustine, Fla. Fixed white light, varying 

 with white flashes; height, 165 feet. W. A. Harn, keeper. April 10, 

 1877. — Reports that on the nights of October 13, 14, and 15, 1876, " the 

 lantern was covered with birds, most of them small." The nights were 

 very dark, and, as far as could be seen by the beam of light, the air 

 'appeared to be a solid mass of birds. Each morning the keepers raked 

 up more than tivo bushels of dead birds. The ground in the vicinity of 

 the light was covered with dead and wounded birds. Says the reporter : 

 " I can hardly give a correct idea of the number, but there must have 

 been more than a million. The air was so thick with birds on these nights 

 that I had to protect my face with my hat to keep them from blinding 

 me." The largest number of birds come here in October and November. 

 "White Cranes" (Egrets?), Curlews, and "many other species," are 

 stated to fly against the light. 



22. West Rigolets Light, entrance to Lake Pontchartrain, La. Fixed 

 white light ; height, 30 feet. — Mr. H. W. Henshaw writes, under date of 

 March 20, 1880, respecting a visit made by him to this light some years 

 ago : " I was unfortunate in not happening to be at the light during or 

 just subsequent to a storm, and as a consequence I reaped but scanty ben- 

 efit from the loss of bird life that occurred. Nor can I give a list of the 



