tgi2. Pattp:n. — spotted Flycatchers on Migratio7i. 195 



short of two-and-a-half months, and, furthermore, that the 

 exodus which takes place during August is as active as, if 

 not more so than, that which takes place in September. 



In his " Migration of Birds " (Analysis of Reports, pp. 8, 

 9), Mr. Barrington is naturally somewhat in a fog, regarding 

 the question of the normal period of emigration of this bird, 

 on account of the curious and, at first sight, anomalous 

 dates of capture of most of his specimens received in autumn. 

 Setting aside two birds, one received on September 21st, 

 1887, from Coningbeg lightship, and another received on 

 October 2nd, 1887, from the Tearaght rock, both of which 

 dates fall in with part of the time of normal emigration, 

 Mr. Barrington has really been fortunate in receiving 

 specimens, not at purely anomalous dates, and so represent- 

 ing simply haphazard appearances at light-stations, but 

 at periods representing the earliest and latest times of 

 departure. To analyse we find he gets a bird on July 30th, 

 1895, from the Tuskar. Now so close are the first of my 

 August records (making all due allowance for variations in 

 meteorological conditions in different years) to his record 

 that either of them may be taken as representing the normal 

 early departure of the Flycatcher from our isle. On the 

 other hand, the numerous records, attested by specimens, 

 which I obtained in part of September of one season, leave 

 little doubt in my mind that the emigration does not come 

 to an abrupt termination with the closing days of that 

 month, but extends into October. Thus the capture made 

 on October 20th, 1889, at Black Rock, Co. Mayo, as recorded 

 by Mr. Barrington (though I admit it was very late), 

 probably represented an annual occurrence at many light - 

 stations, but as the bird so sombre-plumed, so unpre- 

 tentious and so silent, is markedly passed over by light - 

 keepers, such annual occurrences are not recorded. But in 

 regard to the specimen obtained on November 20th-3oth (?) 

 1897, at the Tuskar, as mentioned by Mr. Barrington, I 

 should think such an occurrence would be too late to be 

 repeated yearly, at all events in our isle. 



On the other hand, Mr. Barrington has been unfortunate 

 in not receiving many more specimens, especially some in 

 August, and more than one in September. This famine of 

 material in autumn, coupled with the fact that from 1887 



