THE TRAVELS OF BIRDS 



face of the water in endeavoring to escape from 

 the force of the wind. By four o'clock it had 

 come to be a serious matter with them, as the 

 gale was too strong for them to make any 

 progress. As long as they were in the trough of 

 the sea the wind had very little effect on them, 

 but as soon as they reached the crest of the wave 

 it would catch them up and in an instant they 

 were blown hundreds of yards back or else into 

 the water and drowned. 



"A great many flew on to the deck of the vessel 

 to be washed about by the next wave that came 

 over the side. Although I made no attempt to 

 count the number of specimens that came aboard, 

 I should estimate them at considerably over a 

 hundred, and a great many more struck the sides 

 and tumbled back into the water. It was very 

 sad indeed to see them struggling along by the 

 side of the vessel in trying to pass ahead of her, 

 for as soon as they were clear of the bows, they 

 were invariably blown back into the water and 

 drowned. Most of those that came aboard were 

 washed into the sea again, but the next day we 

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