AKRIYAL OF THE SPRING-MIGRANTS, 



WITH SOME OBSERVATIONS ON MIGRATION. 



Among the earlier signs of returniug spring, is the com- 

 mencement of migration — a phenomenon so complex, and 

 yet so deeply interesting, that I propose making a few 

 remarks on its scope and on the causes which produce it, 

 even though it may be at the risk of alarming some of my 

 readers, who will perhaps throw my book aside as a mere 

 maze of dry technicalities. 



This great bi-annual bird-movement commences as early 

 as February ; but the initial stages of the vernal immigra 

 tion on the moorlands are all but imperceptible. During 

 the cold and wintry months of February and March, very 

 large numbers of birds, many from considerable distances, 

 keep quietly arriving, day Dy day, and distribute themselves 

 over the moors. In the aggregate their numbers are 

 immense, but when spread over so wide an area, their 

 advent is inconspicuous and may easily be overlooked, 

 especially as, on first arrival, the strangers are apt to be shy 

 and distrustful — they have not then thrown off their wild 

 character, or assumed the careless disposition of spring. It 

 requires, indeed, close observation to detect the progress of 

 the metamorphosis which then occurs. Observe those 

 half-dozen Golden Plovers scattered over a moss-flowe high 

 out on the fells : it is the middle of February. Well, 

 surely, there is nothing remarkable in that? There are a 

 couple of hundred of them in the low-lying pastures only a 

 mile or so away. Quite true ; but those hundreds in the 

 valley are merely the normal winter stock : this handful on 

 the hills is the vanguard of the invading army from southern 

 lands which mean to spend the summer there. 



