258 
ISLAND LIFE. 
[part it. 
6. Cardinalis virginianus. (The Cardinal bird.) Migrates from Carolina 
southward. 
7. Chamaipelia passerina. (The Ground Dove.) Louisiana, W. Indies, 
and Mexico. 
8. Ortyx virginianus. (The American Quail.) New England to Florida. 
9. Ardea herodias. (The Great Blue Heron.) All North America. 
10. Fulica americana. (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 (Ceryle alcyon), the wood 
wagtail {Siurus novceboracensis ), the wide ranging rice-bird 
(Dolichonyx oryzivora), and a moorhen, {Gallinula galeata ) ; 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 
