289 
stations are in the valley of the Red River of the North. In this valley 
the first arrivals reached latitude 479 April 3, and just one week later 
appeared at Oak Point, Manitoba (lat. 50° 30’). The fact that the 
spriug migration on the Western plains in 1884 was several days behind 
the migration in the same latitude farther east is clearly shown by the 
record of the Robin. At Ellis, Kans, (lat. 38° 55’), the first arrived 
March 21, but in Illinois it reached that latitude six weeks earlier. At 
Menoken, Dak. (lat. 46° 58’), it did rot arrive until April 29, while at 
Frazee City, Minn. (lat. 46° 33’), it arrived April 3; and at Larimore, 
Dak. (lat. 47° 52’), the high, bleak situation answers to a western posi- 
tion, and the Robins did not come until Apvril 21. 
The bulk of the species traveled much behind these advance guards 
in the lower part of the course, but moving faster than the scouts, by 
the time it reached the end of the march was but a few days in the rear. 
The bulk reached latitude 39° between March 12 and 17; then moved 
to latitude 43° March 23 and 24; to latitude 45° 30/ by Mareh 27 and 
28; to latitude 47° April 5, and 0 Portage la Prairie, Manitoba, April 
20. From the few scattering notes on the subject, we may guess that 
the bulk left latitude 35° March 7, Jatitude 37° March 25, latitude 39° 
March 31, and latitude 41° April 10. By the middle of April, in all the 
country south of latitude 43°, all Robins had left those places where 
they did not intend to breed, and at the other places had settled down 
to summer numbers. This is true not oniy of the Robin, but also of 
all those species whose records are sufficiently voluminous to afford a 
fair guide to their movements. This overtaking of the van by the rear 
may be explained in either of two ways, and it is probable that both 
causes have some effect. The individuals forming the van always con- 
sist of old birds, and these arriving at the place where they nested the 
previous year stop to breed, leaving the advance to be made by those 
behind, giving the mais body a chance to come close to the van; and, 
secondly, while the van is being constantly retarded by storms and 
cold, the rear travels in more settled weather and would naturally move 
faster. 
In the fall of 1884 the bulk of Robins left Elk River, Minn., Septem- 
ber 27, and the last was seen there November 7. At Hastings, Minn., 
none were seen after September 29. At Des Moines, Iowa, the bulk 
was recorded as leaving October 25, and at Mount Carmel, Mo., October 
15. As already noted, many straggling Robins remain during the win- 
ter in sheltered localities much farther north than the regular winter 
bome of the species. At Manhattan, Kans., during the winter of 1884— 
85, they were as abundant as usual, while a few were noted at various 
points for the next 200 miles southward. A single bird was seen at 
Morning Sun, Iowa, February 6. One remained at Newton, Iowa, all 
winter; at La Porte City, Iowa, they were common all winter, and even 
as far north as Hastings, Minn., 400 miles beyond its ordinary winter 
range, two birds were seen February 27. These may have been migrants 
7365 Bull 2——19 
