.8^. THE MIGRATION OF BIRDS. 781 



so much as this. That birds can and do fly with great rapidity for 

 short distances we cannot doubt, but in a continuous journey of many 

 hundreds of miles, the pace probably is not in excess of that of the 

 carrier pigeon. In the migration report for 1885 the flight of wood- 

 cocks between the coast of Denmark and the West of England is 

 calculated from fairly reliable data as probably not exceeding 52 

 miles an hour. 



Space will not permit us any further to notice Mr. Dixon's book, 

 although there are other points in which the facts do not appear to 

 warrant his deductions, and we cannot consider this attempt to 

 unravel the very complex web of migration successful. Although 

 our knowledge of the subject has been greatly increased, man)- 

 more facts and observations are wanted from all parts of the world 

 before we can hope to arrive at any satisfactory and strictly scientific 

 conclusions as to the periodical movements of 

 . . wild birds that change 

 Their season in the night, and wail their way 

 From cloud to cloud " . . . . 



In recent years there has been a tendency to much wild specu- 

 lation, and much written which will not stand the test of critical 

 examination ; and we are entirely in accord with our author when 

 he says that " with the gradual growth of ornithology as a science 

 the wildest opinions have been expressed, and the most absurd 

 theories put forward, concerning " migration.'" 



In conclusion, we may state that ^Ir. \V. Eagle Clarke, of the 

 Science and Art Museum, Edinburgh, is at present engaged in the 

 laborious task of reducing the mass of information, collected during 

 nine years by a committee of the British Association, from the 

 reports annually published, and from an examination dc novo of the 

 schedules sent in from the lighthouses and lightships, so as to show 

 on strictly scientific lines, in a condensed form, and by as clear a 

 method as possible, the results of the enquiry. \\'hen this is com- 

 pleted it is hoped some fresh light will be thrown on the phenomena of 

 mi<?ration as observed in the British Islands. 



