Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1866-01-02
42llsteIinllp.
From a&rp=r's Monthly for January
heir Migrations and Sojournings.

Birds heir Migrations and Sojournings.
Observing birds nth reference to this subject
shat find that they divide themselves naturally
into four kinds First, Those which rem in witt
Us throughout the whole wear; Second, Thos,
~h.ch stay with during summer only Third
Ianse whicn remain during winter only and
Fourth, Hose which but transient visitors
passing and rcpassIng between their winter resort
arther south, and their breeding places isrthe
north.
First to BE- mentioned are our proper residen
birds, which abide with Is throughout the year
and enven our seven months Of sober earth, leaf
less trees, and cirrhus cloud. These are the par
fridge, quail, blue-Jay woodpecker, hen-hawk, owl
and crow. They among the widest of our
birds, the sbyest OF although seeing him
most They make no regular migrations at Ger
tain seasons but, unless ds turbed, will live out
their life close to their iavorite hunts, realizing
doubtless, IN many instances, the fancy of Words
~orth, IN Hart Leap We'll"
Al examination of their wings will readily
show how untitled most Of the species for ex j.
tended fights. Those of the quail and partridge
are very small-mere fippers-and their flying,
which IS kind Of fItter, serves admirably to
launch the bird suddenly upon the wing and to
bring IL from the start into rapid motion but il
Is very unlike the steady sweep of the sall-broad
vans wh en- sustain tue wild goose for so many
hours il the bigh air. Ii is common belief thai,
the partridge can Hy but single breath at once !;
and It IS tact that ne does not continue in the
ar longer than the loon and other divers remain
under water, and th4t numbers will accumulate
along the banks OF narrow rivers, unwilling t.
trust themselves to cross. Xenophon Informs
that tae soldiers OF CyTus's expedition caught bus
tards 10 the open Arabian pain; for they flew " but
short distance ike ptrtrdgss, and soon tired -
acd,uEder the circumstances, tue assertion respect
iug either blrd is not improbable.
These birds seem to be kind Of connecting
huk between those whose wings only assist their
,vgs, and those whose wings entirely sustain them
In the aif Tor they swift runners, and both
0-8ll anI cad their short fl ght with 4 run Fifty
Years ago the partr ge, when started by the dog,
mercy few up III the nearest tree, like the WIG
turkey, ana q" freeing was the technical term for
Tie use ot the pointer or setter. But from hay-
iDS been much hunted and hot at lis habits
in ms respect nave changed. lie now spricgs . p
suddenly and steers in all haste TO some covert,
maki1g he woods resOund with the whiTing Of
'lts smAil but compact piDons. But when his
a'Snt IS voluntary it is slower and without the
"olse. was once watching flock of pigeons
"hen a large bird passed into the tree as quietly
and silently as rird of prey, but when shot it
proved to be a partridge.
Noodpeckers are also poor flyers, reaching ore
tree from another by leaps through the air rather
than b. flying, much IN the manner of flying
squirrels, and using the tail well the wings.
out they are speneid climbers, not merely no.
pin5 about among the branches like most BIRDS
but Iunnipg down the trunks head-foremost like
cats. Inc oiue-lay has much the same habit, and
Is oy 70 means d famous flyer. The owl also,
from the looseness OF his plumage flies silently
Is MS business requires, but vet heavily. The
wing 70 De best suited for such flights, must have
b9tn strength and compactness of plumage That
Of he owl mas the one, that Of the partridge tn
0her, Wiring as il cats the air that OF the wild
goose both. The remaining birds of the frst
c-4as make Some irregular migratons, as will az
pear.
Mex are the well-known species, which pass
.e breeding season OF five months in our latitude,
mt o. the State Of New York. Not following
any Of the cassifcations yet made, which are il