September, 1919 
FOREST AND S T R E A 
495 
We would lie out in our grass-covered 
gunning boats, pulled up on some good 
point, until thoroughly chilled through 
and through. Then, when no birds were 
in sight, we would crawl stiffly from 
our cramped quarters, and race up and 
down on the adjoining meadows to drive 
the cold from the marrow of our bones 
and start the blood circulating. Then 
we would go to our boats again and, 
lying prone on our backs beneath the 
decks, with our heads just above the 
rim of the cock-pits, would scan the 
leaden sky and the rolling storm clouds 
for a sight of the honkers from the north. 
, It was often rough work on the bay, 
and a man must love the sport to be 
willing to endure the exposure. It was 
often on days not fit for a man to be 
outside that the shooting was the best. 
But when that mellow honk- ah-honk, ah- 
honk mingled faintly with the moaning 
of the gale, the cold, the chilling wind, 
the rain or snow were forgotten in the 
keen anticipation of seeing those big 
geese curve their wings over our decoys. 
and far into the night they are passing. 
Scraps of small talk among the little 
travelers tremble for an instant far 
above, then drop softly, musically down, 
to where I am listening below. 
The marshland is deserted; the birds 
are gone; how lonely it seems without 
them. The arrival and departure of our 
inland migrants is not so markedly no- 
ticeable. Spreading over a much larger 
territory they scatter by with a gradual 
increase and diminution of numbers that 
will scarcely attract the attention of a 
casual observer. 
The males of many species are the 
first to appear at springtide; occasionally 
weeks in advance of the females, who fol- 
low more leisurely. It is charming when 
the flight is on to hear them passing at 
night. Tender little voices call and an- 
swer through the darkness and, while 
they may lack the free, wild twang of the 
shore bird’s note, their calls are inex- 
pressibly sweet and suggestive as they 
float along on quiet rights “under the 
stars.” 
BIRD MIGRATION 
UNDER THE STARS 
(CONTINUED FROM PAGE 465) 
wild notes as they passed over; fainter as 
they receded, till they, too, faded away. 
And now a jumble of bird voices came 
from the far away on-rushing host. Cur- 
lew, dowitcher plover, all the well-known 
calls were recognized while clear, distinct, 
I at intervals, the ringing phe-o-ee! of the 
I blackbreast seemed to cut its way, like 
the thrust of a keen blade, among the 
I myriad bird cries in the darkness above. 
“Well!” said the captain, “the birds are 
here”! and he went below to turn in, leav- 
ing me alone on deck. All through the 
night thousands of birds dropped to the 
marsh, and sunrise glinted on the breasts 
of other thousands still passing. It was 
nearly mid-day before the flight ceased. 
What a sight the marsh presented that 
morning. Look where you would, birds! 
birds! wheeling and weaving about in 
erratic flight over the dun meadows. 
Glad voices filled the air; all was bustle 
and activity for nearly two weeks, till 
once more the wind backed into the east 
and shrouded the marsh in mist and rain. 
For days the storm raged, clearing at last 
late in the night. Sunshine the next 
morning soon revived the spirits of the 
winged marsh folk who piped more sturd- 
I ily under its genial influence. I now 
! noted a different tone in the calls, a ques- 
ij tioning, as though they asked: “Are you 
U ready?” Presently an immense flock of 
curlew rose and whirled over the marsh 
I in ever widening circles, mounting higher 
I I at every turn and piping unceasingly till 
Ij at last, high in air, they head north and 
U float away. Thousands of birds are soon 
t . rising and swinging off while the air 
rings to their plantive calls. Thin wisps 
^ and bunches of migrants are outlined 
r| against the sky, all bound north; all day 
AFRICAN 
EXPLORATION 
(CONTINUED FROM PAGE 482) 
go. From there, following the River 
Luvua down as far as the River Luku- 
ga, eastward to Lake Tanganyika. From 
Lake Tanganyika to Ujiji. Using Ujiji 
as base, they will make such trips east- 
ward into the territory formerly known 
as German East Africa, as advisable. 
Thence northward on Lake Tanga- 
nyika to Lake Kivu, from which point, 
operating westward toward the Lualaba 
Congo, if it is determined there is ma- 
terial in that direction worth investiga- 
ting and photographing, they will pro- 
ceed northward to Albert Edward Nyan- 
za and to the Ruwenzori Mountains. 
From the Ruwenzori neighborhood the 
expedition will probably travel west- 
ward, following in a general direction 
the course of the Aruwin River, then 
returning to the Albert Nyanza and 
proceeding down the Nile for some dis- 
tance. 
Returning to the Victoria Nyanza, the 
party will proceed to Nairobi, thence 
to Mt. Kenia, thence to the desert coun- 
try in the northern section of British 
East Africa. 
The party will then probably turn 
southward to Mombasa and thence to 
Bagamoyo and Dar-es-Salaam, where it 
will entrain for trips through the heart 
of the territory formerly known as Ger- 
man East Africa, provided there are in 
this district points of interest worth the 
journey. 
At this point the party may disband, 
some embarking for home, via Mombasa, 
Suez Canal and the Mediterranean, and 
some proceeding northward up the Nile 
to Alexandria, the only route possible for 
transporting wild animals. 
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