MORTALITY AMONG MIGRANT BIRDS 129 



perilous onward course, and then sheered off, returning 

 in a moment or two to repeat the performance. . . . 

 Others, again, approached the light gently, and either 

 fluttered against the glass, or, as was particularly the 

 case with the starling, perched on the iron frame work of 

 the lantern windows and seemed to revel in the light. In 

 this respect the starling differed from the rest, and when 

 one brilliant beam had passed, the bird craned its neck 

 and appeared to gaze longingly toward the next, which 

 was slowly approaching. Indeed, the actions of the star- 

 ling in particular showed the birds under the spell of 

 some overpowering fascination. A number of the visitors 

 made their debut with a wild dash for the light, and 

 these, if they struck the glass direct, were killed out- 

 right; while if the contact were made obliquely, they 

 glanced off stunned, and, slightly injured, descended 

 with a curious zigzag flight which sometimes carried 

 them some little distance ere they were lost amid the 

 waves. . . . To complete the scene there was the sin- 

 gular effect produced by its central feature — namely, 

 the great lantern, which, placed high up on the mast, 

 swung slowly to and fro among the glittering hosts that 

 danced attendance upon its mystic charms. On occa- 

 sions when the rays were not particularly conspicuous, 

 the migrants flew aimlessly around, passing from ray to 

 ray, sometimes for many hours. It is extraordinary how 

 long some birds will fly round a light without resting. 

 As a good example may be mentioned the case of a 

 Kestrel, which appeared at 8.00 P.M. . . . and careered 

 around without a break or rest of any kind until 1.30 



