Q2 Scientific Proceedings, Royal Dublin Society. 



seems to form about the limit of their northern range, band 

 together in some numbers for a day or two, and then abruptly 

 disappear, as our own swallows may often be observed to do at 

 home. 



In migrating north the smaller birds generally arrive suddenly 

 in some numbers, often in large flocks, which after a while scatter 

 themselves over the country to breed, or wholly, or partially pass 

 on to the north. At this time of the year fifty birds will probably 

 be noticed for one that will be observed a few months later, 

 although the bird population of the country is alwaj^s pretty 

 numerous. This is probably caused not only by the absolutely 

 greater numbers which are present at the time, but also because 

 they are much more conspicuous when collected together in flocks, 

 or when the males, while seeking their mates, display themselves 

 as much as possible ; whereas, later in the year, Avhen they have 

 commenced the duties of the summer, they are scattered in pairs 

 over the country, and seek concealment for themselves and for their 

 young. The trees and bushes too are then in full leaf, and their 

 dense shade affords the forest-loving species an almost impene- 

 trable screen. 



In travelling south again they generally come in small parties 



or families at first, then in numbers or in flocks, which may be 



met with everywhere for a while, and then disappear. Some, as 



the geese, appear in much larger flocks when going southward 



than when advancing to the north ; whereas, with othei'S, as the 



different species of Molothrus, Grackels, &c., the reverse is the 



case. Some, as the gold-crests, that I have observed assembled 



in small family parties, a little earlier in the jeav, in Canada and 



the Northern states, seem to visit us singl}^, or at the most in 



pairs, and during some years I have observed species appearing 



by no means uncommon, which in other years were totally absent. 



Go into the pine woods late in the autumn and you may walk 



for half an hour without seeing anything of bird life ; then you 



hear a note, and you see several little birds in the tree tops. 



Probably it was the Carolina tit that attracted your attention, 



for this restless little creature is generally the first to see you and 



give the alarm. If you remain still, you may 23erhaps see five 



or six species of birds busily searching for insects, and flitting 



restlessly from tree to tree, passing and crossing each other, but all 



