BIRDS AS TRAVELERS 



of them study the food of birds; others their 

 nesting habits; others still their migrations. By 

 "migration," the ornithologist means "travels," 

 though migration more exactly describes the 

 journeys of birds than the word travel. Migra- 

 tions are more regular and are made with a 

 more definite purpose; while travels may be 

 made at any time and to any place. So what is 

 really meant by travel, as I have been using the 

 word, is migration. 



For many years I have been studying the 

 migrations of birds. I have gone to their sum- 

 mer homes in the north and their winter homes 

 in the south. I have seen them go and seen them 

 come. I have been on little islands in the seas 

 at which they paused for food, and on vessels 

 in the ocean when they stopped to rest. With 

 a telescope I have watched them flying at night, 

 and while at the top of a lighthouse I have had 

 the birds, blinded by the bright rays from the 

 lantern, fly against me as they tried to continue 

 their journey through the night. Then, of 

 course, I have studied what other ornithologists 

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