SMALL BIRDS ON MIGRATION 349 



small birds are seen to come. If the geese are 

 flying low it is a pretty sure indication that they 

 have already rested on the ground, somewhere near, 

 after their long flight, when of course their tiny 

 passengers would have alighted. The Indians on 

 the shores of Athabasca and Great Slave Lakes — 

 both great resorts of wild geese — and those living 

 ■on the Mackenzie River, more than a thousand miles 

 to the north-west of Moose Factory, tell the same 

 story, and from the positive statements which were 

 made to him on the subject Dr Rae saw no reason 

 to doubt the assertion. So far as he could ascertain, 

 the Canada Goose is the only species in North 

 America which thus acts the part of a locomotive, 

 and conveys small passengers from place to place ; 

 but in Europe and Africa the Common Crane and 

 the Stork have on very respectable authority 

 been credited with performing a similar friendly 

 ■office. 



Dr Lennep in his Bible Customs in Bible 

 Lands refers to the many small birds which find 

 their way from Palestine into Arabia and Egypt on 

 the backs of Cranes, over lofty mountains and sea, 

 which without such aid it would be difiicult to cross. 

 In the autumn flocks of Cranes are seen coming 

 from the north with the first cold blast from that 

 quarter, flying low, and uttering peculiar cries as 

 they circle over the cultivated plains. Little birds 

 of different species may then be seen flying up to 

 them, while the twittering of those already comfort- 

 ably settled upon their backs may be distinctly 

 heard. On their return in spring they fly high, 



