FRANK M. CHAPMAN. 185 



continuing on his course toward Florida. The second and 

 concluding point I wish particularly to emphasize, for it 

 seems to have escaped the attention of annotators. The 

 records we have so hastily reviewed leave no room for doubt 

 that during the entire voyage no events proved a greater 

 source of encouragement to the venturesome mariners than 

 these flights of migratory birds ; but do they not derive a 

 new significance when we remember that the migration from 

 the Bermudas southward is practically concluded by No- 

 vember ist ? After nearly twenty years of disappointment, a 

 delay of ten days at Palos would not have seemed of much 

 importance. But if Columbus had sailed from Palos Sep- 

 tember i6th, or, using the "new style," September 26th, he 

 would have seen few migratory land-birds, or none. 

 Whether, in their absence, he would have had sufficient in- 

 fluence over his men to force them to continue a westward 

 course, is an open question ; but we can clearly see that, 

 without the presence of birds, his efforts at allaying their 

 fears would have been seconded by no really conclusive 

 signs of land. 



