The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1911-06-24
The National Geographic Magazine.

tween their winter and summer homes ,
has always been one of the tantalizing
problems of the migration studen-. A
favorite theory of the past, and one |
still claiming many advocates, is that
river valleys and mountain chains form
convenient highways along which the
birds travel in the spring, and which
are easily recognized on the return
trip.
The incorrectness of this theory Cat
least with reference to some species)
is proven by the migration routes of
the palm warblers They winter in
the Gulf States from Louisiana east
ward and throughout the Greater An
titles to Porto Rico. They nest in Can
ada from the Mackenzie Valley to
Newfoundland. To carry out the above
theory, the Louisiana palm warblers
should follow up the broad, open high
way of the Mississippi River to its
source and go thence to their breed
ing grounds, while the warblers of the
Antilles should use the Allegheny
Mountains as a convenient guide.
AS matter of fact, the Louisiana
birds nest in Labrador, and those from
the Antilles cut diagonally across the
United States to summer in central
Canada The two routes cross each
other in Georgia at approximately
right angles.
Another idiosyncrasy of bird migra-
ton is the adoption by the Connecticut
warbler of different routes for its
southwark and northward journeys. All
the individuals of this species winter
| in South America, and, as far as
known, all go and come by the same
! direct route between Florida and
| South America, across the West In
dies; but north of Florida the spring
and fall routes diverge. The spring
route leads the birds up the Mississip-
pi Valley to their summer home in
Southern Canada; but fall migration
Ibegins with a 1,OOO-mile trip almost
due east to New Englanl, whence the
coast is followed southwest to Florida
The Connecticut warbler is consid'
cred rare, but the multitudes that have
struck the Long Island lighthouses
during October storms show how close
" the birds follow the coast-line dur
ing fall migration.
The fact that the spring route is
practically north and south througl
Ohio and then turns abruptly west in
,dicates a large and as yet undiscovered
breeding area in Ontario north of lakes
Huron and Superior. Indeed, so little
is known about the nesting of thu
Connecticut warbler that the eggs OBJ
tanned by Mr.. Seaton more than q
years ago still remain unique.
Incidentally this route of the Con
necticut warbler is a conclusive argu
ment against the theory that migration
routes Indicate the original piOnee
, path by which the birds invaded tn
, region of their present summer homes
= Longest Continuous Flight $500 Miles
= Such elliptical migration routes a
= that mentioned above are rare amon
\ land birds, but are used and on a ia
= larger scale by many water birds, not
= able among which is the golden pic
/, yer. This species nests along the Arc
| tic coast of North America, and a
soon as the young are old enough t
care for themselves fall migration /
begun by trip to the Labrador coast
| where the plover fattens for severa
| weeks on the abundant native fruits
] A short trip across the Gulf of st
Lawrence brings it to Nova Scotia
2 the starting point for its eXtraordinar
( ocean flight, due south to the coas
< of South America.
\ The golden plover takes a straigh
\ course across the ocean, and, if tn
weather is propijous, makes the Who'll
2,4OO miles without pause or rest. Blu
: if tempests arise, it may be blown on
of its course to the New England coas
and start anew on the advent of fai
weather; or it may rest for a few day
o at the Bermudas, one-third of the wa
along its course, or at the nearest c
the Lesser Antilles, still 600 mile
from the mainland of South America
These, however, are emergency stol
overs, to be resorted to only in cas-
of storms. Having accomplished ii
ocean voyage, it passes across easter
South America to its winter home i
Argentina.
After a six months vacation her,
the plover finds its way back to tn
Arctic by an entirely different rout,
It travels across northwestern Sout
AD,orico and tho Eu1F Of Mayip1