THE PROCESS OF MIGRATION 129 



Africa, and (together with the sedge-warbler) it has been 

 recorded wintering 1800 miles further south still, namely, 

 at Irene in the Transvaal — making a total range of 

 6000 miles. 



Swallow. — Following are four casual observations of 

 my own. The four I separate into two groups, but 

 without suggestion that either event is actually co-related 

 to its fellow : though the coincidence of the juxtaposed 

 dates certainly possesses a strong general significance that 

 bears on the process of migration. 



Group No. 1. 



February 13. — Swallows congregating by thousands 

 on islets of Lake Elmenteita, slightly south of the 

 equator, in British East Africa. 1 



February 23. — Arrival of swallows in Southern Spain ; 

 quite a nuisance while snipe-shooting, by catching one's 

 eye in every direction. 



Group No. 2. 



March 26. — Another great departure from East 

 Africa, observed at Sultan Hamud, and continuing over 

 three days. 



Api'il io-ii. — Swallows crossing Eastern Mediter- 

 ranean on a front of 500 miles- — (cf. supra, p. 126). 



Our swallow ranges from North Cape to Cape Colony, 

 a total distance of 7450 miles. 



That these tiny creatures do actually perform journeys 

 that appear impossible, is, of course, a well ascertained 

 fact, that we have got to recognise. I venture, never- 



1 Note, incidentally, that beneath the swallows, lay two huge Hippo- 

 potami, basking in the sun ! 



I 



