The Portland daily press., 1894-10-23

| taneously markedsincrease in the number
OF birds about the light was noticed. At Ii
O'Clock we mounted to the torch and con-
| t1nued our watch from the balcony there
Some of the birds appeared for moment in
| the brilliant halo and were then swallowed
up by the gloom beyond. Others lowered
before US like humming birds before
flower; then, wheeling. they would retreat
short distance ard return only to repeat
the same performance or PASS by like the
hrst class. Others still, though the number
was comparatively small, struck the torch
either slightly or with sufficient force to
stun or kill them. During the two hours we
spent in the torch less than twenty out of
the thousands We saw were killed. Through
out the night there was more or less reg
ular fuctuation in the number of birds pres
ent and the birds passed in well-defined
flights or loose companies. Chipping and
calling was inoessant. Frequently when
only few could be seen hundreds were
heard passing in the darkness. The air
was filled with the lisping notes of warblers
and the mellow whistle of thrushes, and at
| no time during the night was there perfect
silence. AT daybreak few stragglers were
still winging their way southwark, but be-
ore the sun rose the fight had ceased.
The only birds identifedsw several spe-
cles of warblers and thrushes, one red-eyed
vlreo, two golden-winged woodpeckers,
one catbird. one whippoorwill, and one bob
ollnk. The most interesting and important
results obtained were the immediate effect
OF rainfall In forcing the birds to fly at
lower level, the infrequency with which
they struck the torch and the constancy
with which they called as they few
This observer was out on night of LON
mortality. In the autumn of 1886 2, 800 birds
were killed by dashing against Liberty
light, and of these 1,500 were picked up on
the morning of Sept. "a. 1t is believed
that the birds on that autumn flight made
mental note of the Statue of Liberty light,
for they began to avoid it next year. In
1888 only 500 birds were killed at the light,
1889. 700, and in 1890 and 1891 the record for
each year was 350.only. This is the record
net. The gross record is reduced-is not
known how much-by the depredations of
big band of half-wild cats which live ON
the island and thrive on this bird slaughter.
Estimates based upon all the reports on the
subject collected in England and here place
the total annual bird mortality at light
houses at 5U0,OOO. The observers have
agreed that the direct cause of death in
Il.
ternal injuries are unusual, excepting a
breaking of the extreme tip Of the bill.
The records from all points prove that
the greatest number killed belong to the
singing species. Whether this is because
the singers have less sense than other
kinds of birds, or that glare of light has
deeper fascination for them than for others
the observers have not decided. At the
Iclo nd LIGHT h. On
last year 230 rblers were killed. On Lib
erty Island the Maryland yellow throat in
the first three years of the light made up
60 per cent. of the total killed. DR.. Jona-
than Dwight. Jr., of this city, who has
made close study of the Bedlow's Island
records in this respect, says that, next to
the Maryland yellow-throat, the black poll
warbler bumps it's little brains out most fire.
Quently. And after the black poll birds
which most frequently interrupt their mi
grafton at Bartholdi's statue are the parula.
the black-throated green, the black-throat-
ed blue and the golden-crown thrush. and
the redstart. all warblers. Dr. Dwight has
a record of twenty-th1ee species of warblers
who have died from conclusion of the
brain on the balcony surrounding Miss Lib
erty's wrist.
The study has aroused such interest that
grave astronomers now and then pause
from contemplating wonders of the sky,
greatly reduce the power of their glass,
and turn a telescope on the moon for the
purpose of observing silLouettes of inven-
ing night migrating birds. They have thus
learned that the planes OF migratory fights
reach an altitude in some conditions of the
weather CT three miles. A number of them
were easily identified by peculiarities of
fight.-N. Y. Sun.