Early Migratory Birds. 187 



is no doubt to be explained, partly by the increase of 

 numbers, 'but also by the fact that the bird hurries forward 

 to nidificate in spring, retiring only step by step in the fall. 

 Thus I invariably noticed that more migratory birds arrived 

 in central New Brunswick before the snow had disappeared 

 than tarried after the first fall in autumn. This I supposed 

 was owing to the impulse to breed which drives the bird 

 to seek its summer retreat before the country is quite 

 ready for it. But these were generally hardy finches, such as 

 the Pennsylvanian sparrow, song, snow, and chipping finches, 

 which, as already stated, appear along with migratory thrushes 

 early in April, often coming in for several snow-storms after 

 their arrival There can be no doubt that birds which per- 

 form their migrations in flocks have the advantage over the 

 solitary wanderer which has to trust to its own judgment 

 alone. Hence it may be inferred that the latter would be 

 most likely to be found beyond its boundaries, unless when 

 stragglers get detached from the main body, just as now 

 and then a couple or more of Canada geese stop in New 

 Brunswick and breed, whilst the multitude goes to the 

 Hudson Bay Territories.* 



Besides failure of food and change of climate, the inherent 

 desire of certain species to pair may perhaps prompt the 

 bird to migrate, but I very much doubt if this is generally 

 the case. I dissected several species in Malta in spring, 

 when on the way to their summer retreats, but in no in- 

 stance were the genital organs enlarged excepting in such 

 as tarry and breed in the island, t 



The bird when it starts in autumn for its winter quarters 

 is invariably plump and in good condition ; some remark- 

 ably so ; indeed, in the case of Wilson's snipe, individuals I . 



* There is an interesting paper on this subject by Mr. J. M. Jones, 

 F.L.S., " On Some of the Rarer Birds of Nova Scotia," in the Trans. N. 

 Scotia Inst, of Nat. Science, vol. ii.,p. 70. 



t Op. cit., p. 102. 



