THE DANGERS BY THE WAY 



from old age if we would account for the heavy 

 toll which each year demands of bird life; and 

 chief among the causes are the dangers to which 

 migrating birds are exposed. 



BIRDS AT SEA 



I do not think that I have ever made an 

 ocean voyage during the season of migration 

 without having bird travelers come aboard the 

 steamer. 



Sometimes, when we crossed their regular line 

 of flight they visited us for only a short time, like 

 the Curlew mentioned in a later chapter, which 

 took passage with us for Ireland but decided to 

 continue the trip alone. I remember, too, a 

 Northern Water-Thrush which, early in May, 

 flew aboard our steamer when we were in the 

 Gulf of Mexico about midway between Tam- 

 pico and Key West and, therefore, on the birds' 

 highway from Yucatan to the United States. It 

 seemed in no way tired but moved about freely 

 and fearlessly. Finally it entered the captain's 

 cabin, hopped about on the charts as though it 



9 117 



