258 



ISLAND LIFE. 



[part it. 



6. Cardinalis virgmianus. (The Cardinal bird.) Migrates from Carolina 



southward, 



7. Chamaipelia passerhia. (The Ground Dove.) Louisiana, W. Indies, 



and Mexico. 



8. Ortyx virginianus. (The American Qiiail.) New England to Florida. 



9. Ardea herodias. (The Great Blue Heron.) All North America. 



10. Fulica amevicana. (The American Coot.) Temperate and tropical 

 North America. 



It will be seen that these are all very common North 

 American birds, and most of them are constant visitors from 

 the mainland, so that however long they may have inhabited 

 the islands there has been no chance for them to have acquired 

 any distinctive characters through isolation. 



Among the most regular visitants which are not resident, are 

 the common N. American kingfisher [Geryle alcyon), the wood 

 wagtail {Siurus '}wvoehoracensis), the wide ranging rice-bird 

 {Dolichonyx oryziwra), and a moorhen, {Gallinula gaUoia) ; the 

 first three being very common over almost all North America, 

 and the last abundant in the southern portion of it. 



Comparison of the Bird-faunas of Bermuda and the Azores. — 

 The bird-fauna of Bermuda thus differs from that of the 

 Azores, in the much smaller number of resident species, and 

 the presence of several regular migrants. This is due, first, to 

 the small area and little varied surface of these islands, as well 

 as to their limited flora and small supply of insects not affording 

 conditions suitable for the residence of many species all the 

 year round ; and, secondly, to the peculiarity of the climate of 

 North America, which causes a much larger number of its birds 

 to be migratory than in Europe. The Northern United States 

 and Canada, with a sunny climate, luxuriant vegetation, and 

 abundant insect-life during the summer, supply food and shelter 

 to an immense number of insectivorous and frugivorous birds ; so 

 that during the breeding season Canada is actually richer in 

 bird-life than Florida. But as the severe winter comes on all 

 these are obliged to migrate southward, some to Carolina, 

 Georgia, and Florida, others as far as the West Indies, Mexico, 

 or even to Guatemala and South America. 



Every spring and autumn, therefore, a vast multitude of 

 birds, belonging to more than a hundred distinct species, migrate 



