12G BIRD-LIFE OF THE BORDERS 



miles to the northward), a sudden and bitter northerly 

 gale sprang up. Two hours later, our ship, the Messa- 

 geries Maritimes' steamer Djemnah, became the goal 

 of hundreds of birds, no longer able (while already 

 in sight of land) to face the adverse wind. The great 

 majority of these unfortunates were yellow wagtails 

 (the continental blue-headed species), together with 

 swallows and martins, pipits, and wheatears of a 

 southern species (either the eared or the black-throated). 1 



Stronger-winged birds — to wit, nightjars and lesser 

 kestrels — hovered under our lee, and at dusk took refuge 

 in the rigging. These perhaps passed on at dawn ; but 

 of the rest, the only traces visible in the morning were 

 a few draggled corpses. Similar conditions prevailed 

 throughout the whole of that day (April nth), while 

 crossing the Ionian Sea. Thousands of migrants 

 perished through that untimely breeze. But if thou- 

 sands died, tens of thousands passed safely onwards, 

 unseen. Nature recks naught of individual lives. As 

 when in warfare a commander reckons on gaining an 

 object at a loss of 10,000 and secures it at 5000, he 

 has succeeded ; so with the birds — the majority get 

 safely across. 



In this case, for forty hours we were passing across 

 (or beneath) the lines of an army of migrants — say 

 500 miles in width ; yet not a sign did we see, save 

 only the wreckage' — the feeble that fell out by the 

 way. 



Two other questions invite consideration. (1) By 

 what means do small species, of little wing-power, 



1 The arrangement of modern Liners, shut in fore and aft with canvas 

 awnings, though conducive to the comfort of passengers, is totally adverse 

 to ornithological observation — hence the uncertain identification. 



