370 NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. 



were moving iiorthwanl. These could, at a long distance, be readily distin- 

 guished I'roui Hocks of water-l'owl or waders, liy their llight being in no par- 

 ticular order. On the Mackenzie, Mr. Jio.ss olj.served tliese Itirds as far nortli 

 as Kort Norman in Litituile 0.")°, while on the eoa.st of Hudson's IJay they 

 are only found as far as r)8°, even in warm summers. 



The Wild I'igeon a])i)ears to be almost entirely inllueneed in its migra- 

 tions by the abuiKhmce of its food, excepting in tiiosc jiarts of the coinitry 

 in which it lias not been known to remain during winter. Even in these 

 movements it is largely influenced by instinctive considerations of i'ood. 

 Evidently the temperature has liut little to do with their migrations, as they 

 not unfreiiuently move northwanl in large eolunnis as early as the 7th 

 of March, with a thermometer twenty degrees below the freezing-point. In 

 the spring of 1872 a large accumulation of these birds took jtlace early in 

 March, in the eastern portion of New York. They were jnvsent in the 

 forests about Albany, and were taken in such immense numbers that the 

 markets of New York and Doston were very laigely su])plieil witli them. 



As early as the 10th of March they were ascertaint'd to have in their ova- 

 ries full-grown eggs, ready for e.xt'lusion. In Kentucky they have heen 

 known, according to Audubon, to remain summer and winter in the same 

 districts for several successive years, in consequence of tlie great abundance 

 of food, while in other parts of the State none were to be met with. Tliey 

 suddenly di.sa]ipeared as soon as the beech-mast had become e.xhansted, and 

 did not return for a long jjcriod. 



The Wild Pigeons are capable of pro])elling themselves in long-continued 

 flights, and are known to move with an almost incredible rajmlity, passing 

 over a great extent of country in a very short time. It is (juite a connuon 

 and well-ascertained fact that Pigeons are captured in the State of New York 

 with their cro])S still tilled with tlie undigested grains of rice that must have 

 l)een taken in the distant fields of (Jeorgia or South Carolina, apjiarently 

 proving that they must have ])assed over tlie interveiung space within a 

 very few hours. Audubon estimates the rajjidity of their llight as at least 

 a mile a nunute. 



The Wild Pigeons are said to move, in their flight, by (piickly rci)eated flaps 

 of the wings, which are brought more or less near to the body, according to 

 the degree of velocity ivcpiired. During the love-season they often fly in a 

 circling manner, supjiorting themselves with both wings angularly elevated. 

 Before alighting, they break the force of their flight Ijy rejieated lla]»]tings. 



Their great jiowers of flight, and the ability thus given to change at will 

 their residence, and their means of renewing a supply of food, are also thought 

 to be seconded by a remarkable power of vision, enabling them to discover 

 their food with great readiness. Mr. Audubon states that he has observed 

 flocks of these birds, in passing over a sterile i)art of the country, fly high in 

 the air, with an extended front, enabling them to survey hundreds of acres 

 at once. When the land is richly covered with food, or the trees well sup- 



