. Camps and cruises of an ornithologist, by Frank M. Chapman .. . other hand, mans presence is made manifest byabundant cro]is of grains and fruits, of which the birds reapa by no means undeserved share. With these benefits, conferred by man, are none of theills which invariably follow him. There are no rats in thisisland Eden and, more astonishing still,there are no cats, theogres of the bird-world. No less remarkable, and perhapsan accompaniment of insularity, is the absence of foxes,minks, weasels, opossums, red squirrels and chipmunks, allnatural enemies of birds, and when the Fish Hawks c
. Camps and cruises of an ornithologist, by Frank M. Chapman .. . other hand, mans presence is made manifest byabundant cro]is of grains and fruits, of which the birds reapa by no means undeserved share. With these benefits, conferred by man, are none of theills which invariably follow him. There are no rats in thisisland Eden and, more astonishing still,there are no cats, theogres of the bird-world. No less remarkable, and perhapsan accompaniment of insularity, is the absence of foxes,minks, weasels, opossums, red squirrels and chipmunks, allnatural enemies of birds, and when the Fish Hawks comein the S]iring, virtually all other Hawks depart. In short, 40 TWO ATLANTIC COAST ISLANDS this island is an ideal resort for the fowl of land or water—a place of peace and plenty—and only those factors whichimpel migration amongst most of onr birds, and consequentexposure to an endless series of dangers, have prevented itfrom becoming a vast aviary. Fortunately removed from beaten paths of travel, onecannot buv an excursion ticket to this Island of Birds. The Signal at the Fireplace l)ut, journeying i)art of the way by train, one must securesuch conveyance as his alighting place affords, and driveseven miles over country roads and grassy lanes to a look-out point where his haven marks the horizon three milesacross the waters. Here, at the Fireplace, as it is called lo-cally and on the larger maps of Long Island, I enlisted inmy earlier visits, the services of the official fire-maker, tobuild a fire whose smoke should give notice of a visitor tothe ishnid beyond. Tlic office is hereditary and had beenheld by the mans great grandfather before him. Shortlya dense cloud arose fi-om a smudge of hay and seaweed andwas blown landward ])y the breezes from the Montauk. Intime came the answering signal, a flash of light from shin-ing-tin, gleaming intermittently like the rays of an arc-light,and shortly, through ones glasses, a boat was seen crossingthe bay. A telephone now suppli
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Keywords: ., bo, bookcentury1900, bookdecade1900, booksubjectbirdsnorthamerica
