iS97-] Pai^mkr. — The Migration of Birds. 13 



in the Faroes. After arriving on our east coast these immi- 

 grants — some of them after resting for a while — move either 

 down the coast en route for more southern winter quarters or 

 to their accustomed haunts in the British Isles. The west 

 coast do not receive directly any immigrants from Continental 

 Europe. 



An East and West Migration Route is one of the discoveries 

 of the enquiry. During autumn a stream of migrants, largel}^ 

 composed of certain species, passing from south-east to north- 

 west, and from east to west, is observed at the lighthouses and 

 lightships along the southern section of the east coast (from 

 Kent to the Wash). This is called the ''East and West 

 Route." At the more northerly stations of this section of 

 coast the birds are going from south-east to north-west, and at 

 the southerl}^ stations the direction is from east to west. Of 

 those going north-west some go beyond the Tees, manj^ pro- 

 ceeding inland as they go. Some of the birds following this 

 east and west route pass to the west along southern England. 

 Immigrations from the Continent by this route are renewed 

 during winter when there is severe cold. 



Some remarkable features associated with these east to 

 west movements are : — (i) they are frequentl}^ observed for a 

 number of consecutive days ; (2) they often occur when there 

 is an absence of migration on other parts of the coast ; (3) the 

 movements appear to be confined to the daytime, and are 

 usually timed as from soon after daylight to i p.m. ; (4) the 

 flocks are chiefly composed of Earks, Rooks, and Hooded Crows, 

 while Redbreasts, Goldcrests, Chaffinches, Greenfinches, Tree- 

 Sparrows, and Starlings are numerous ; there are Woodcocks 

 occasionall}^ and during the winter Earks, Thrushes, and Lap- 

 wings ; and (5) on some occasions these birds while passing 

 northwards along the English east coast actually cross the 

 migrants which are proceeding southwards. Whether this east 

 to west stream is a branch of one that passes down the coast of 

 Continental Europe, or whether it originates in central 

 Europe, is not ascertained. 



The conclusions relating to these migration-routes are 

 chiefly based on the autumn data, which are more voluminous 

 and complete than the spring records. The spring records 

 however show that the birds retrace their flight along the 



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