THE BIRD STUDY BOOK 



there was no pond or lake in all the neighbouring 

 country, the Loon's fate was evident from the first. 



Birds are often swept to sea by storm winds from 

 off shore. Vainly they beat against the gale or fly on 

 quivering wings before its blast, until the hungry 

 waves swallow their weary bodies. One morning 

 in northern Lake Michigan I found a Connecticut 

 Warbler lying dead on the deck beneath my state- 

 room window after a stormy night of wind and 

 rain. Overtaken many miles from shore, this little 

 waif had been able to reach the steamer on the deck 

 of which it had fallen exhausted and died. What of 

 its companions of the night before? 



On May 3, 191 5, 1 was on a ship two hundred miles 

 off Brunswick, Georgia. That day the following 

 birds came aboard, all in an exhausted condition: 

 Brown Creeper, Spotted Sandpiper, Green Heron, 

 and Yellow-billed Cuckoo. We also encountered 

 three flocks of Bobolinks, which for some distance 

 flew beside the ship. They appeared to be lost, for 

 they all left us finally, flying straight ahead of the ship, 

 [78] 



