164 BULLETIN 113, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 



them flying back again at night to some mysterious point which 

 we could never find ; whence they came and whither they went we 

 never knew, but somewhere in the great beyond we knew that they 

 had established a populous city. Like the Indians of the plains, 

 they are a wandering, nomadic race, and for some mysterious reason, 

 unknown to any but themselves, they move about from place to 

 place, choosing each season the locality which suits their fancy. 



At last our efforts were rewarded on June 9, 1905, for after driving 

 for miles over the rolling plains of southwestern Saskatchewan and 

 exploring many lakes and sloughs in vain we discovered a splendid 

 colony of these elusive birds. As we drove over the crest of a bil- 

 lowy ridge among roving bands of grazing cattle we saw a broad 

 level grassy plain spread out before us, and beyond it in the dis- 

 tance a lake fringed with marshes. With the aid of our glasses we 

 could barely make out a cloud of white specks hovering over the 

 marsh, and we knew at once that we had won the long-sought prize. 

 Another mile of rapid driving brought us to the marshy shore, 

 where scores, yes hundreds, of the dainty birds began flying out to 

 meet us with a chorus of shrill screams and harsh cries of protest. 

 We tethered our horse and waded out into the marsh, where the 

 reeds or bullrushes (Scirpus lacuStris) grew for a distance of 200 

 or 300 yards out from the shore and for half or three-quarters of a 

 mile along that side of the lake. The water was noL orer knee-deep 

 anywhere, except on the outer edge, and usually much less than 

 that; perhaps a foot deep on the average. The reeds were 3 or 4 

 feet high and were not very thick except on the outer edge, where 

 they grew in thick clusters, dense and tall. Most of the reeds were 

 of last year's growth^ dead and more or less flattened down, with 

 scattering tall, straight, green reeds growing up through them. 



As we waded out toward the colony, clouds of gulls began to 

 rise and circle over us, cackling and screaming, but it was not until 

 we were 100 yards from the shore that we began to find nests. , When 

 we were fairly in the midst of the colony the excitement grew 

 intense; clouds and clouds of the beautiful birds were rising all 

 around us, and the din of their voices was terrific, as they hovered 

 over, circled around, and darted down at us in bewildering multi- 

 tudes. If we kept still they would gradually settle down all around 

 us, but if we gave a shout the result would be startling as the whole 

 surrounding marsh would seem to rise in a dense white cloud, and 

 the roar of their wings mingled with the grand chorus of cries would 

 be almost deafening. But they were very tame and we had plenty 

 of opportunities to admire the: exquisite beauty of their plumage, 

 seldom surpassed in any bird; pearl gray mantles, delicate rosy 

 breasts, black heads, and claret-colored biUs and feet, W e could form 



