80 THE WILSON "BULLETIN No. on. 



drew to n dose just about the time when we first installed ourselv 

 on (lie Point, September 4. In regard to this species, he snys : 



"Crossed in great numbers from I N'lee Island via Middle and Ke 

 ly's to Marhlehead, during my stay on Pelee Island." 



The species had practically gone when we arrived as we saw b 

 live si rapiers sailing southward over the marsh on the 5th. 



hi llMii;, no Call birds were noted, but the following year, August 

 1M, the flight had not yet passed, though from the reports of the 

 residents, it was then considerably diminished in numbers. One was 

 seen the day of our arrival, but none the next. On the 2Gth 18 were 

 noted. That night the steadily blowing wind that had so far suc- 

 :-eeiled in keeping the mosquito pests in the dense bush, died down 

 and they sallied forth to our camp hungry after a three-days' fast. 

 Mosquito netting was but a slight impediment to their flight; dope 

 but made them mad, and smudge smoke goaded them to frenzy arc] 

 but added vigor to their attack. We lay on the beach, close to tlie 

 water's edge, wrapped in our blankets until we nearly smothered. 

 We sat in the smoke of the fire until our eyes ran, and in desperation 

 three of us gathered up our field traps in the dark and started out 

 towards the end of the Point. We arrived there just as the first 

 faint tint of gray was showing on the eastern horizon and climbed 

 to the top of the tower that has been before mentioned, in the hope 

 that the mosquito pasts would not ascend to that altitude. Though 

 we were disappointed in this, there were compensations that reall 

 amply repaid us for all our night of trouble and the long tramp o 

 in the dark. 



The day broke grey and cloucly. At first there was silence, broken 

 only by the sharp monotone of our little tormentors, the water lap- 

 ping the shore, or the rude, harsh sounds of our noisy feet upon the 

 wooden floor. Then an occasional bird note cut sharp and clear 

 through the surrounding gloom as. a Wood Pewee or a Chipping Spar- 

 row awoke. It grew lighter, and the nearby red cedars stood sol- 

 idly out from the misty background, and a few little peeps came 

 down from high overhead, warning us that either the night migra- 

 tions were not yet over or that those of the morning were just be- 

 gun. As it became lighter and the mist became slightly luminous, we 

 were aware of occasional shadows passing swiftly by us, but so dim 

 and evanescent as to be felt rather than seen, .There was no sun- 

 rise, but, as the landscape grew brighter, the species of the passers- 

 by could be made out with some degree of certainty; and the bird 

 notes came up to us rather oftener as bird after bird awakened and 

 added its quota to the Martin chorus. The passing birds, few at 

 first, increased in numbers. Bank Swallows passed swiftly by and 

 a few r Rough-wings, but most of them were Barn Swallows that came 

 along in widely scattered groups of five or six ; climbing up invisible 

 a'l-ial wave slopes, pausing a moment at the top, and then coasting 



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