The annual flight of the adult golden plover is so wonderful that it may be given in some detail, particularly since it is one of the exceptions to the general rule that spring and fall movements are over the same routes (fig. 22). After reaching the South American const the birds make a short stop and then continue overland to the pampas of Argentina, where they remain from September to March. Leaving their winter quarters, they cross northwestern South America and the Gidf of Mexico, reaching the North American mainland on the coasts of Texas and Louisiana. Thence they proceed slowly up the Mississippi Valley, and by the early part of June are again on their breeding grounds, having performed a round-trip journey in the form of an enormous ellipse with the minor axis about 2,000 miles and the major axis 8,000 miles, reaching from the Arctic tundras to the pampas of Argentina. The older birds are probably accompanied by some of the young, perhaps those from early nestings, but most of the immatures leave their natal grounds late in summer and move southward through the interior of the country, re turning in spring over essentially the same course. The elliptical route is therefore used chiefly by fully adult birds. ATLANTIC COAST ROUTE AND TRIBUTARIES The Atlantic coast is a regular avenue of travel, and along it are many famous points for observing both land and water birds. About 50 different kinds of land birds that breed in New England follow the coast southward to Florida and travel thence by island and mainland to South America (fig. 20, route 2). As will be seen from the map, a seemingly natural and convenient highway extends through the Bahamas, Cuba, Hispaniola, Puerto Kico, and the Lesser Antilles to the South American coast. Resting places are afforded at convenient intervals, and at no time need the aerial travelers be out of sight of land. It is not, however, the favored highway, and only about 25 species of birds go beyond Cuba to Puerto Rico along this route to their winter quarters, while only 6 species are known to reach South America by way of the Lesser Antilles. The obvious drawback is lack of adequate food. The total area of all the West Indies east of Puerto Rico is less than that of Rhode Island, so that if only a small part of the birds of the eastern United States were to travel this way, it is doubtful whether even the luxuriant flora and fauna of tropical habitats would provide food sufficient for their needs.