Scott on the Migration of Birds. 
shown the moon, then a few days past its full phase. While 
viewing this object my attention was at once arrested by nurnbers 
of small birds more or less plainly seen passing across the field 
of observation. They were in many cases very clearly defined 
against the bright background ; the movements of the wings were 
plainly to be seen, as well as the entire action of flight. In the 
same way the shape of the head and the tail were conspicuous, 
when the bird was well focused. As the moon had not been very 
long above the horizon the direction of observation was con- 
sequently toward the east, and the majority of the birds observed 
were flying almost at right angles to the direction in which the 
glass was pointed. 
Here then was opportunity for the determination of two 
points — the kind of birds that were flying and the general direc- 
tion in which they were moving. Respecting the first, it was 
comparatively easy to decide as to what families the species 
belonged. This point was gained by observing the general shape 
of the birds, their relative size, the motion of their wings, and 
their manner of flying ; that is whether the flight was direct or 
undulating, by continuous strokes of the wings or by an intermit- 
tent motion of those members. 
Most of the birds seen were the smaller land birds, among 
which were plainly recognized Warblers, Finches, Woodpeckers, 
and Blackbirds ; the relative numbers being in the order of kinds 
above named. Among the Finches I would particularly mention 
Chrysomitris tristis , which has a very characteristic flight ; and 
the Blackbirds were conspicuous by the peculiar shape of the 
tail, from which characteristic I feel most positive in my identifi- 
cation of Quiscalus purpureus. I mention such details to ex- 
plain just how observations were made and conclusions arrived at. 
In regard to the second point, with rare exceptions the birds 
were found to be flying from northwest to southeast. I do not 
mean that this was absolutely the direction but that it was the 
approximate and general one. 
It is not within the scope of the present paper to do more 
than give details on two other points, namely, the estimated num- 
ber of birds passing through a given space during a given time 
and the height at which the birds were most abundant. For the 
basis of the first of these points it was necessary to note, first, how 
many birds passed through the field of observation per minute, 
