t66 The Irish Nattiralist, Septeml:>er, 



stations which afford food, drink, and suitable breeding 

 sites, give comparatively little help in fixing the extent of 

 its migrations, as the nature of the ground may induce a 

 halt for a considerable time, perhaps for a season, thereby 

 reducing what might have been a passage of considerable 

 length into a mere local movement. In such places, the real 

 test of migration can be carried out only by a competent 

 observer who can furnish reliable statistics to show a 

 marked increase in numbers at certain periods in such out- 

 lying districts of the coastland. But, as we shall now see, 

 and in addition to the reasons already laid down, the 

 appearance of this Pipit on the Tuskar Rock does indicate 

 migration. For we find that the time of appearance of 

 the birds recorded from the Tuskar by Mr. Barrington in 

 the synthetic part of his book, coincides with those seasons 

 of the year when migration is actively going on. Thus, on 

 March 30th, 1890, six Rock-Pipits are mentioned as appear- 

 ing on the rock,' and, again, on April 17th, 1891, two 

 were seen.^ 



With regard to the two specimens, one of which struck the 

 lantern of Rathhn O'Birne lighthouse, and the other the 

 lantern of Eagle Island West lighthouse, I think (notwith- 

 standing the fact that these lighthouses are situated on 

 islands quite suitable for the bird to inhabit), that it is more 

 than likely that the birds were making a passage. What- 

 ever " coasting " may take place during the daytime, a 

 feature of migration of which we have but scant knowledge, 

 I am strongly of the opinion that the more serious and 

 protracted journeys are undertaken at night. ^ Cogent 

 evidence has come to hand in favour of this view from the 

 results of an exhaustive examination which I have carried 

 out on the digestive tract. Practically every bird which I 

 collected — not only those actually striking the lantern of the 

 Tuskar Lighthouse, but also those found dead on the rock 



^ " Migration of Birds " {Reports on Migration of Birds, 1888-1897, 



P- 155)- 



2 Barrington, lac. at., p. 224. 



^ I do not wish to infer by this that birds do not effect long journeys 



by day also. On the contrary, many observations which I have recently 



made suggest to me that they do. 



