180 Field and Forest Rambles. 



been stated, that as the waves of winter visitors are proceed- 

 ing southward, they would, in all likelihood; tarry on their 

 way. Such, in fact, is the case. Accordingly, we find some- 

 thing like eighty species of American migratory birds affecting 

 Cuba in winter, against a far less proportion in Jamaica, which 

 is further eastward, and positively an almost total absence of 

 any but South American birds in the island of Trinidad. 

 Thus Cuba and the Bahamas stand in relation to the birds of 

 North America in much the same way as Malta and Sicily 

 afford resting-places to the migratory birds of Europe ; 

 indeed, it has been very clearly pointed out that few North 

 American species winter in South America, that do not also 

 winter in Cuba, or, at all events, make a temporary stay 

 in the island during their spring and autumn migrations. 

 Although the above directions embrace the chief routes or 

 highroads pursued by the migratory birds, there are other 

 inland highways and byways by which they travel, irrespec- 

 tive of the valleys of the Mississippi and Mackenzie rivers. 

 The sketch map indicates the chief mountain ranges and high 

 lands, more especially the Rocky Mountains, Appalachians, 

 and elevated lands of Labrador, running north and south, 

 all of which present excellent routes ; but doubtless from the 

 headlands of Newfoundland and Nova Scotia many a bird 

 wanderer starts, and makes straight for Florida without one 

 stoppage on its way. Of the vast hosts of eastern migrants 

 that repair annually to feed around Hudson Bay, not a few gain 

 their summer quarters by the Mississippi valley (as is demon- 

 strated by their numbers along that route in spring), whilst they 

 return by the Atlantic coast, or vice versa. But on the western 

 side, the great mountain chains and the coast line pretty 

 accurately determine birds' movements, «and make them more 

 regular than along the Atlantic division. As to the extent 

 of the migrations, we find almost every possible degree, from 

 birds whose migrations extend over a few hundred miles 

 of latitude to such as breed in the Arctic Regions and 



