146 Scientific Proceedings, Royal Dublin Society. 



is the most I have seen in a flock. October is the season of the 

 return migration. These birds frequently alight upon the prairie 

 and even in the cultivated fields, but they are so shy that it is 

 impossible to get within range even for buckshot. 



Grus canadensis (Linn.) Sandhill Crane. — Like its congener 

 this species is merely transient with us, passing north in enormous 

 flocks during the last week of March and April, and frequently 

 accompanied by numbers of geese. The return migration is much 

 more protracted, few days passing between the middle of September 

 and the beginning of December on which flocks may not be seen. 

 They feed and rest upon the prairie at night, rising at dawn, and 

 ascending in huge spirals to a very great height, when with 

 one accord the whole band starts off on its journey. A curious 

 fact is that when passing north the route taken has a general 

 tendency to the N.E., while the southern migration tends to the 

 S.E., or across the line "of the northern passage. The same remark 

 applies to the migration of the snow geese. 



Olor (sp.) ? — On two occasions I observed swans during the 

 month of November, but both times passing at a considerable dis- 

 tance. I was however informed by a friend of a specimen which 

 was shot near Corsicana during the winter of 1879-80, but was un- 

 fortunately unable to obtain a sight of the example so as to deter- 

 mine the species. From the description I believe it to have been 

 0. buccinator. 



Chen hyperboreus (Pall.) Snow Goose. — The chief migration 

 of these geese occurs during October, but much depends on the 

 state of the weather further north, which either retards or hurries 

 their passage according to its clemency or severity ; and indeed 

 all through the winter flocks may be seen at intervals, a sure sign 

 of a coming increase of cold. 



Bernicla canadensis var. hqtchinsi (Sw. and Rich.) Hut- 

 chins's Ooose. — The same remarks apply to the migration of this 

 species as to the preceding, but these birds are far more plentiful 

 than their more beautiful relatives, and on account of their light- 

 ing in large numbers on the prairie to feed and bathe, are much' 

 more easily obtained. I never saw geese of any sort during the 

 spring migration. 



Anas boscas, Linn. Mallard.— An. abundant winter visitor, 

 arriving about the middle of September, and frequenting the ponds 



