40 
YA HONK! 
an equable climate* Beside the recently advanced 
prairie railway a newly arrived flock from the south 
will crane their glossy black necks and display their 
broad, white throat-bands as the noisy locomotive 
charges past with its burden* The belching smoke 
is a hint to move another stage northward before 
disbanding to locate their summer homes* 
The picture of a passing flock is indelibly 
impressed* They flew conveniently low over the 
tortuous hills, the leader holding his place at the 
head of the broad 44 V ” with nineteen aligned 
on his right, and twenty-five on his left* There was 
a magnificent aspect of determination in those forty- 
five necks strained rigidly forward toward the new 
home in the remote north* Calls of encouragement 
were frequently sounded and answered, and near the 
leader the steady flapping was varied by an occasional 
change of position* They passed so low that every 
distended pinion could be distinctly seen* Their 
heavy bodies and sturdy wings rapidly grew less 
distinct, and soon blended into a dark, wavy line 
against the low, thin clouds above the horizon* 
The sun was still high and the atmosphere clear* 
Their calls did not seem to grow faint as rapidly as 
their outlines diminished* Soon in the concealing 
distance they faded and reappeared until they could 
not be distinguished from the shaded edges of the 
horizon clouds* As their calls still came back fancy 
