42 The Migrations of Birds 



Old World along all the shores of Europe, Asia, and Africa. The Bartramian 

 Sandpiper (Bartramia longicauda) nests from eastern North America to Nova 

 Scotia and Alaska, and goes south in winter to southern South America. The 

 Solitary Sandpiper (fotanus solitarius) breeds mainly to the north of the United 

 States and winters as far south as Brazil and Peru. The Buff-breasted Sandpiper 

 (Tryngites subruficollis) rears its young in the Yukon district of Alaska and from 

 the interior of British Columbia to the Arctic coast, and journeys in winter well 

 into South America. The Turnstone (Arenaria inter pres), a little shore-bird 

 about the size of the Song Thrush of Europe, is also cosmopolitan, breeding in 

 high northern latitudes and at other times of the year being found along the coast 

 of Europe, Asia, Africa, North America, South America to the Straits of Magellan, 

 Australia, and the Atlantic and Pacific islands. It is one of the species mentioned 

 as making the wonderful flight from islands in the Bering Sea to the Hawaiian 

 Islands. 



The Ducks form another interesting group, although their journeys during 

 the migrations are not nearly so extended as the birds just mentioned. The 

 larger number breed mainly to the north of the United States and many within 

 the Arctic Circle. Certain species, as the Eider Duck, only come south in winter 

 to the coast of northern Maine, others, as the Old Squaw, may reach the Potomac 

 and the Ohio, while most of them, as the Bald-pate, Blue-winged Teal, Pintail, 

 Golden-eye, Bufflehead, etc., visit Mexico, Guatemala, northern South America, 

 or the West Indies. 



Certain of the familiar birds of lawn, hedgerow, and field, for whose coming 

 we watch so anxiously, may claim a moment's attention. The Bobolink, so dear 

 to the hearts of the residents of New England, makes his appearance in his sum- 

 mer home in May. By the last of July or the first part of August the young are 

 reared, the old males have lost their bright dress, and with a musical chink as their 

 only note, they start southward. In the region of the Chesapeake they begin to 

 congregate in vast flocks, where they are known as Reed-birds, but in a few weeks 

 they pass on to the rice fields of the South, to become the dreaded Rice-bird. But 

 by October the last one has disappeared, and some by way of Cuba, others by 

 way of Central America, where a few may linger, the main body presses onward 

 beyond the Amazon into central and southeastern Brazil. On the return journey 

 they reach the southern border of the United States in March arTd April. 



The Catbird is found in summer throughout the eastern United States and 

 British Provinces, and in winter in the Southern States, Cuba, and middle America 

 to Panama. Our common Robin is very erratic in habits of migration. Occa- 

 sionally a few may winter in dense swamps as far north as southern Canada and 

 Maine, but the majority spend the winter in the Southern States. The Chimney 

 Swift is found in summer in eastern North America and thence north to Labrador 

 and the fur countries. The winter is spent to the south of the United States. 

 Cliff and Barn Swallows, which are found over nearly all North America in 

 summer, may penetrate to Brazil, Paraguay, and the W T est Indies in winter. 

 The Scarlet Tanager passes the winter in Central America and northern South 

 America, and the familiar Indigo-bird may go as far as Panama. 



