8 TIlE CONDOR .... Vol. XX of twelve a night in the migration season. The birds killed at these lighthouses would probably amount to quite a large number from year to year. But when we remember that there are twenty-seven other stations reporting no destruc- tion at all, we see that the number of birds ?ilted in {'his Way on the whole coast must be co?nparatively slight. ? II. The destruction of birds at the ligh?thonses of the California coast is confined ahnost entirely to water fowl and shore birds. Only two Stations re- port any land birds destroyed.. Following is a..list of the biTds reported as having been found dead about the lighthouse stations: Name of bird as reported. '-' Number of times reported., 1. "Small land birds".....? ......................................................................... 2 2. "Small sea birds?? (possibly petrels) ............. ?- .................................. 3 3. "Snipe" (probably some species of sandpiper) ................. ? .......... 2 4. "Coot" . ............................................................. .? ...................... : ................. 1 5. "Shag" (cormorant) ..................................... : ....................................... I ' 6. "Divers" (loons and grebes) ............................................................ 2 7. "Ducks" . ................................................................................................ $. "Spoonbill Duck" . .................................................................................. 1 9. "Teal" . ..................................................................................................... 1 10. "Wild Goose" . ...................................................................... :...?..::? ....... 1 11. "Curlew" . ....................................................................... : ............. .? ........ 2 12. "Sandpiper" . .......................................................................................... 1 13. "Grey Shore Bird" ' 2 The evidently s?nall number of land birds "killed at ;'?he lighthonsesl of the coast is surprising, since we have been. accustomned to think of the?n as ',perish- ing in great numbers at similar places in Europe,.,. in th? Great Lakes and on the Atlantic coast. It ?nay be that the number so killed in the regions na?ned has been overesti?nated, if, indeed,. any? careful and extensive study of the ?natter has been made. But, ?naking all such allowances, it seems probable that the nu?nber of birds killed on this coast is 'far below the usual quota else- where. The writers suggest the following reasons as offering a plausible ex- planation of the difference. 1. The character of bird migration on the Pacific Coast. It is a well known fact that western birds do not ?nigrate with that concentrated wave move?nent co,tanon among the birds of our Eastern and Middle states. In that ?'egion we awoke stone fine spring ?norning to find forest and garden and way- side weeds ?nelodions with song where all was wintry silence but yesterday. This does not happen.in California. Migrations here are ?nore leisurely and widespread, hence less dangerous to the bird travellers. 2. The character of the California coast. A glance at -the-map will show that the portion of the .No?lh .?merican coast co?nprised .within the boundaries of California .pushes out:westward into the Pacific Ocean ,in one vast convexity. Birds travelling on.this coast and taking "short cuts" will be' thrown away l'ro?n the ocean...,,'O? t?e other hand the Atlantic coast of our cou'nt?y conqists ' of three great concavities and ?nany lesser indentations of the 'sea. Birds tra- velling On the Atlantic. coast have numerous sea trips, more or le? ?xtended, and will consequ?r?tly be continually passing near lighthouse sta?i0ns, ? ': 3 The stru?tl{?reland location?qf California l?ghthouses.. The sefiior au- thor has seen over half of the thirty-six lighthouses from .which?rep,orts have been received, ?dn'd'?a?say that for the most part they are c0'rap?,a?bly low structures. The tall, brick-chimney type of lighthouse which one sees so often on the Great Lakes seems to be almost wholly wanting on this coast.
