Page:Auk Volume 13-1896.djvu/126

﻿ O. deglandi, O. perspicillata), the American Eider (Somateria dresseri), Double-crested Cormorant (Phalacrocorax dilophus), Canvas-back Duck (Aythya vallisneria), and Loon (Urinator imber), as well as some others, as noticeably deep swimmers, and not very buoyant when dead and floating.

On page 69: "The distance between the coasts of the two countries [Labrador and northern Brazil], amounts to three thousand two hundred geographical miles, and since there is along this whole stretch of route not a single point on which the travellers could alight for rest, they are obliged to perform the whole length of this enormous journey in one uninterrupted flight." After coming down from the shores of the Arctic Ocean and the region above forest growth, their breeding home, the American Golden Plovers (as do also the Eskimo Curlews) collect in the vicinity of Labrador, where they rest a while, becoming very fat. From there they set out on their prolonged southern migration, steering boldly out to sea after leaving Nova Scotia. I believe they can, under favorable conditions, make the entire distance to their objective point, the Argentine Republic and Patagonia, in practically one flight, but if during such passage they require rest, they can easily obtain it by alighting on the ocean. This they do, being good swimmers. Neither are they exceptional in this respect, many others doing the same. As an instance in illustration one of my shooting acquaintances while Ashing one day about three miles off the coast of Massachusetts observed a flock of a dozen or fifteen Pectoral Sandpipers (Tringa maculata) passing; on whistling to them they abruptly turned from their course in response to his call, and flying towards his boat, whirled up into the wind and alighted on the ocean. After swimming around a short time they arose without effort, and, each bird giving its feathers a shake, proceeded on their way.

On page 101, he quotes Palmer, as saying: " Direct observations in nature have yielded the result that among flocks of migrants the older and stronger individuals are in general the leaders of the migratory host"; and adds: "He [Palmen] could not, however, have begun the treatment of this question with a more unfortunate assertion; for there is no one who has ever made observations which might support this view." I have made observations for a good many years on the Atlantic coast of North America, and I have particularly noticed many times during the migration northward of the Surf. Scoters (Oidemia perspicillata) in April, that many of the larger flocks of fifty to one hundred birds, are led by a full plumaged adult drake. The white markings on the head and neck, highly colored bill, and glossy black plumage render a mistake in identification unlikely.

Page 102, he thus formulates his conclusions on this subject: " 1. That under normal conditions in the case of the three hundred and ninety-six species occurring here, with the exception of a single one, the autumn migration is initiated by the young birds, from about six to eight weeks after leaving their nests. 2. That the parents of these young individuals