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Seconnett Point, R? I. 
April 16-21, 
These Scoters are by far the most numerous of the three spe- 
cies which migrate past this point. In fact, they represent fully 
75^. of all the flights which were witnessed. Prom 200 or 300 toT5fc*«- a\, 
j^of ^all 
( ‘ rniiiiimh". .th'-ii~~Ti J passed every day, according to the weather, the 
majority flying between sunrise and nine o'clock in the forenoon, 
with a much smaller flight between three o'clock in the afternoon 
and sunset , but very few ever being seen in the middle of the day. 
They flew most freely when the weather was warm and the wind 
south to south-west, the latter direction being apparently the most 
favorable for a heavy flight. At times they would pass in flocks 
of from 15 or 20 to 70 or 80 every two or three minutes, and oc- 
casionally two or three flocks would be in sight at once. The 
usual order of flight was in a line at right angles toS course, 
_that is, all the birds abreast of one another and just far enough 
apart to allow their wings free play. Usually they flew at the 
hight of ten or fifteen yards above the water. 
fPhe spring migration begins here about April 9th and lasts in- 
to the first week of May. The birds all come up around Point Ju- 
dith , but, in reaching the mouth of Tiverton river, separat 
some extent, & few going up the river, others crossing over inland 
at^acomett 
point and he a 
Martha ' 
Tv but by 
lungs due 
far thi 
east f< 
e lare 
'or Gat 
nuprtb er 
passing out around the 
Tleac 
'a Vinyard # 3SE» Mr. Mackay tells me that many of those 
which go up Buzzard's Bay cross the Cape at the head of that sheet 
of water # Between the I2th and the 20th of May, There is a heavy 
flight of these Scoters passing for two or three days, usually be- 
tween the 1 7th and 20th, and heading in an exactly opposite direct- 
ion from that taken by the birds which fly in April. The May 
White-Wings, as they are called by the gunners^ many of whom think 
they 'an o a different species of birdst always come across the wat- 
er from the east and head due west. They fly chiefly/late in the 
afternoon between three o'clock and sunset. If the water is calm, 
they usually pass high overhead beyond the reach of gunshot, but, 
if the wind is in the south and blowing fresh, they fly low over 
the water. This remarkable flight has been noted at Seconnett 
Point for many years, and is ^perfectly regular occurrence. No 1 ® 
Surf Black Scoters are ever seen among these WBi±& e-Wings , nor 
are jt they ever known to fly in a westerly direction while migrating. 
Mr. Mackay thinks that the May White- Wings are birds which have 
wintered in Vineyard Sound, and which start on their northward mi- 
gration by way of the Hudson river valley. He has heard that they 
are seen in large numbers at this season passing uf> the rludson, 
but he has no defin ite data on this head. While migrating, all 
keep directly on past the Point, never 
three species of Scoters 
7S 
