SMALL GAME 93 



incline them again to the northward. The 

 inland waters testify to this, for one day 

 they may be literally black with fowl, and 

 the next as bare as the proverbial billiard 

 table. 



The line flight of wild fowl is nothing 

 like so extended as in the cases of many 

 other migrants. It is placed by Mr. Dixon, 

 in his "Migration of Birds," in the "mode- 

 rate range," that is, a range of 3,000 to 

 5,000 miles. But the Corncrake and the 

 Cuckoo fly from 6,000 to 7,000 miles, whilst 

 among the birds of the most extended 

 flight are the whimbrel, the curlew and the 

 well-known Asiatic Golden Plover which 

 traverse between 6,000 and 10,000 miles. 

 The mileage is, of course, approximate, and 

 represents a course almost due north and 

 south; but few, if any species, travel so direct, 

 so that the actual distances traversed may 

 be in excess of the actual figures given. A 

 point of interest is suggested by Mr. Dixon 

 and that is, the daily distance accomplished, 

 for it must be evident that the migrants 

 must settle somewhere in the twenty-four 

 hours for food and water and rest. " Pro- 

 bably," says this authority, "migrating 

 birds do not average more than 300 miles 



