Introduction. 
< ( 
As a rule the first of the smaller native birds were seen in the 
morning , whilst the migrating birds were often seen toward 
evening. This also, I think, points in the same direction as the 
facts mentioned above. I understand, however, that my obser¬ 
vations in this respect are too few to draw with certainty any 
general conclusions from. 1 must, therefore, be contented with 
a theory. 
If one starts with the supposition that the first seen of the 
smaller birds are those that build on the spot, 3 it is not altogether 
idle to notice the weather conditions under which these 
birds appear. In America especially, it is very often considered 
a fact that birds in migration come with a south wind or a 
south storm. This rests probably on misinterpretation of ob¬ 
servation. That migrants should come with a south storm is 
certainly unreasonable. I regard it as certain that a storm, 
whether it come from the south or north, arrests migration. I 
have spoken of this above. Neither do I believe that a south 
wind especially favors migration. It may be conceded that a 
north wind early in the spring appears to hold back migrating 
birds, but it is perhaps alone on account of the cold which ac¬ 
companies it. Later migrants come with all winds; but they 
seem to prefer still weather. The most of the native birds came— 
perhaps accidentally — when a light north wind blew. 
Heavy rain surely arrests migration quite as much as storm; 
but many birds seem to prefer to migrate in dark, damp weather. 
But only when it is mild. Whether the moon has any influence o 
migration I shall not undertake to say. 
The number of native breeding birds was very different in 
1882 and 1883. Certain conditions accounted for the presence 
of some birds (as was known with regard to passenger pigeons 
and Coccyzus erythrophthalmus ); but in the main the change must 
be ascribed to the character of the previous winter. Many birds 
doubtless perished during the severe winter of 1882-83; but this 
does not fully explain the facts, since certain species were more 
numerous in the summer of 1883 than in the summer of 1882. 
3 The first passenger pigeons in 1882 were not those that built on the 
spot. Neither the first of other irregularly migrating birds such as 
Ampelis cedrorum , Spinus tristis , ducks, etc. 
