Bird Migration 63 



the present day, so that the birds now in existence are able 

 to find their way with perfect certainty from one to an- 

 other of these mutilated remnants of a previously con- 

 tinuous chain of land in spite of the fact that these de- 

 tached fragments lie far beyond their range of vision. 



Italy, which at one time connected Europe with Africa, 

 dividing the Mediterranean into two inland lakes, is said 

 to have formed a land bridge of this kind for birds ex- 

 changing their habitations between these two continents. 

 As to the arrival and departure of our friends the 

 migrants, I am at one with an eminent practical fowler, 

 who, in his writings, talks as one who has well studied his 

 subject. I refer to Mr. Stanley Duncan, of Hull, and I 

 cannot do better than to copy, with his kind permission, 

 his remarks as follow : — 



' ' Some notes relative to the dates on which numbers of 

 our shore-birds and wild fowl visit or reach our shores 

 from their breeding homes and northern haunts may here 

 be very fitting. 



Several species of shore-birds and wild fowl breed in 

 our islands, but their numbers (even if all stayed the year 

 round), are very small compared with those which reach 

 us from the north. What are known as residential birds, 

 such as the redshank, curlew, green plover, golden plover, 

 dunlin, mallard, and teal, by the end of July begin to flock 

 on the coast, either from our local breeding-grounds or 

 from those abroad. In August most of the curlew and 

 golden plover have left their moorland haunts and resorted 

 to quarters adjacent to the coast. In this same month 

 large numbers of knot, godwit, whimbrel, and mature 

 grey plover arrive ; also the less plentiful green sandpiper, 

 common sandpiper, and greenshank, are in strong 

 evidence. At this season oyster-catchers, turnstones, 

 sanderlings, and many other species are to be met with 

 flying the coast-line in search of new quarters. In August 

 also the home-bred mallard have flocked, and daily wing 

 to the estuaries and other safe retreats. 



The beginning of September brings an increase in the 

 number of birds on the coast. Great flocks of gulls and 

 terns, leaving their sea-bound breeding homes for more 



