12 BIRDS OF P. F. ISLAND.

weeks in coming from the Eastern States. Other swift-winged species, as the night-hawk and the swift, cover the same ground in two or three days. Birds migrate mostly by night, rising to a great height, often one or two miles, so as to have a broad View of the country and easily shape their course. The vast numbers composing these migratory flocks may be judged from the fact that 600 birds—warblers, finches, etc—have been known to kill themselves in a single night, by dashing against the light-house of San Antonio, Cuba. We have seen a fleet of a hundred robins arrive in the early dawn of a spring morning. The birds seemed much excited, flying about and call- ing loudly, as if conscious that they had accom» plished an important undertaking, and were excited over a return to their old summer haunts. What a scene of glad jollity it was! Frozen snow covered the landscape, and the crystal jewels of winter flashed from every spray. But voices of friend ship, and joy, and love were ringing from every tree top, and lading with rich music the golden billows of morning. It came a carnival of joy after winter’s dreary harrenness, and bade us

remember how much the world does owe to the