yiii PREFACE. 



built their nests within that space. Almost all of these arrived be- 

 tween the above periods; besides multitudes of passengers. Every 

 morning (for evening, night and morning seem their favorite hours 

 of passage) some new strangers were heard or seen flitting through 

 the arbours, until one general concert seemed to prevail from every 

 part of the garden. 



That these migrations are not performed in one continued 

 journey; but in occasional and leisurely progression, seems highly 

 probable, from the length of time that usually elapses between their 

 first entering the southern boundaries of the United States, and 

 their appearance in the northern or middle states. In 1809 the 

 Purple Martins arrived at Savannah on the second day of March ; 

 but did not reach Philadelphia until the twenty-fifth day of the 

 same month. The Catbirds were first heard at Savannah early 

 in March ; but did not arrive in the neighbourhood of Philadelphia 

 until late in April. Many other species, whose arrivals were noted 

 in the same season, at both places, varied from three to five weeks ; 

 among which latter number was the Humming-bird, which arrived 

 at Savannah about the twenty-third of March; but rarely reaches 

 Philadelphia much before the first of May. In short, these little 

 winged pilgrims, some of whom have several thousand miles of 

 country to pass over, in their progressive advances north, seem to 

 follow in the joyous train of spring, hailing her with their melody, 

 while she unfolds the infant leaves, spreads a carpet of living green 

 over the smiling fields, and diffuses warmth and balmy fragrance 

 over the face of nature. By the first of May the whole woods 

 are vocal; and the great business of building and incubation is 



