128 THE MIGRATIONS OF BIRDS 



birds, they are most serious in connection with mi- 

 grants, as migration carries thousands of individuals 

 through these regions and augments the number 

 affected many fold. 



Destruction of migrants through striking light- 

 houses has been tremendous. Clarke has described 

 graphically such experiences at the Eddystone Light 

 on the coast of England, when hour after hour be- 

 wildered birds by scores hovered mothlike about the 

 light, eventually to fall exhausted and perish. At the 

 Kentish Knock Lightship conditions were similar. 

 During heavy migrations losses were appalling, as 

 birds continued to strike the lantern and fall into 

 the water for hours; on one occasion, in mid-Octo- 

 ber, such destruction continued for ten and one-half 

 hours. The following quotation from his observa- 

 tions at this lightship is of interest: 



Seen from the deck the three beams from the lantern 

 appeared to be thrown towards the surface of the sur- 

 rounding waters at an angle of 45.° The birds — brilliant 

 glistening objects — seemed to ascend, as it were, 

 these streams of light by a series of short jerky flaps 

 performed by wings which appeared to be only half 

 spread for flight. Some of them paused when within a 

 short distance of the lantern, remaining almost station- 

 ary, as if to sun themselves in the radiance of the slowly 

 passing beam. Others were bolder and approached the 

 light more closely, but ere they reached it spread their 

 tails like fans, in order to check at the last moment their 



