102 



THE OOLOGIST. 



rocks on the shore. How they got 

 there I am unable to state. It would 

 seem a curious place for the species to 

 nest. The only set found on this occa- 

 sion, perfectly fresh, and probably a 

 second one, was placed in the long 

 grass of the afore-mentioned bank. 



Arctic Terns are quite numerous, but 

 they are decreasing, their number be- 

 ing much smaller last summer than in 

 the two preceding ones, which is as far 

 as my observation extends. Their nest- 

 ing is as usual. About June 25th is the 

 time to look for full sets. The most 

 nests are found in the driftage which is 

 deposited in patches in the salt grass, 

 but some are found in other locations. 

 Here as elsewhere two or three is the 



minion number, but in this colony it 



sometimes exceeded, for in my short 



xperience with it, I have found two 



ets of four and even one of five. 



Jhese latter were undoubtedly all laid 



by one bird since they agreed perfectly 



n a rather rare type of coloration. I 



also found six eggs in one nest, but 



these were easily divisible by markings, 



into two distinct sets. 



The fourth species observed on this 

 islet is the Bank Swallow. There are 

 only a few pairs, nesting in the earth 

 banks with no variation from their hab- 

 its on shore. They breed earlier than 

 any species except the Spotted Sand- 

 piper. 



I have found the bird life of this little 

 islet very interesting, as representing 

 four typical species of our native birds 

 and I hope my account of it may prove 

 so to others. 



Migration of the Canada Goose. 

 (Branta canadensis.) 



A long time ago, 1 remember the 

 nocks of Canada Geese that passed on 

 their semi-annual migration flights. I 

 remember the strange feelings I had 

 when I saw the large, rare birds. I 



or from their breeding grounds which 

 were supposed to be so very far away 

 in the cold north that they had not 

 been discovered. I had read that their 

 nesting grounds were unknown. 



When I would see them passing over- 

 head, with strange and beautiful flight 

 I would have that pleasure which an 

 ornithologist has when he sees some 

 rare new bird. Some of the mystery 

 and wondering thought connected with 

 the "Wild Goose" has been cleared 

 away. It is now known to breed not 

 only in the northern part of the United 

 States, but even as far south as south- 

 ern Illinois, Ornithologists have found 

 its haunts and studied its nesting habits 

 to their pleasure. The migration of 

 any bird is an interesting study, but it 

 seems to me that the study of this 

 movement in the Canada Goose is of 

 superior interest. It passes here in its 

 fall migration on dai'k, cloudy and 

 often rainy days. I have wondered 

 why it chooses such days to fly, and 

 also why they always fly Southeast,, 

 instead of South in the autumn, when 

 they pass over this locality. It is an in- 

 variable fact that they choose such days 

 and fly in the directions I have just 

 mentioned. I can onty account for it in 

 this way. In the fall, so I have read,, 

 great flocks of these birds gather for 

 food and rest, after the work of the 

 breeding season, on the great plains of 

 the West and Northwest. The. long 

 dreary fall rains come from those direc- 

 tions, and bring the flocks of Geese, 

 with them. 



About the time of their migration, 

 thev are probably warned by an ap- 

 proaching storm— It is said that birds 

 can foretell changes of weather, — and 

 commence their journey, often 'to be 

 overtaken by it before they have reach- 

 ed their southern destinaton. Now 

 these storms from the northwest may 

 be the cause of the direction they pursue 

 or it may be they prefer the pleasant 



