l8o Twelve Months With 



lights as moths are attracted by a flame. After 

 flying within the radius of the rays of such a light 

 they appear to be blinded by it and, becoming con- 

 fused, dash themselves to death against the struc- 

 ture which sustains it. Many interesting observa- 

 tions of this kind have been made by ornithologists 

 at lighthouses, and such experiences are familiar 

 to all keepers of such coast lights. 



Thousands of birds have met death in this way 

 at the Statue of Liberty Light, in New York har- 

 bor, and Dr. Chapman in referring to accidents 

 of this kind to birds at Fire Island Light, Long 

 Island, records the killing during one night of 

 three hundred and fifty-six black poll warblers 

 alone. Successful efforts have been made at some 

 of these stations to install lights of a kind which 

 will answer all the purposes of navigation, without 

 being so deadly to the migrating birds, and perches 

 have also been erected around some of the lights 

 in an effort to lure the birds away from the light to 

 a place of rest and safety. 



Migration itself, like the homing instinct or 

 sense of direction, while not altogether peculiar to 

 the birds, is more highly developed with them than 

 with any other animals. Winter visitors to the 

 Pacific Coast may see sporting about in the warmer 

 California coast waters, seals which have migrated 

 thence from the Bering Sea. Doubtless moved by 

 the same primal surge which is felt by the birds in 

 the spring, salmon, eels and shad during the same 

 season travel up the streams to lay their eggs, and 



