THE BIRDS' COMPASS 



the height at which the Curlew was flying, the 

 horizon was distant not more than six miles. 

 Even if his eyes were like telescopes he could 

 not, therefore, have seen the coast But if it had 

 been so near that the beaches and marshes where 

 he might find his favorite fare were in plain 

 sight, he could not have started for them more 

 directly. Small use had he for the steamer! 

 Doubtless before we arrived he had found a 

 hearty meal. 



"Seeing is believing," says the old proverb, 

 and this Curlew, boldly, confidently striking out 

 ahead of us with all our equipment for following 

 the proper route, seemed to prove that he was 

 possessed of some special power which held him 

 to the proper course. 



But if it was surprising to see a bird start on 

 a voyage of one hundred and forty miles, what 

 would we think if we should see the Turnstones 

 begin their two-thousand-mile journey from 

 Alaska to the Hawaiian Islands? Or what 

 should we say of a Golden Plover as he began 

 his two-thousand-four-hundred-mile flight from 

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