REDBREAST. 43 



coast line, and often in very large numbers. As the bird 

 is strictly a summer visitant to northern Europe, as well as 

 migratory in the central countries of the Continent, no doubt 

 these immigrants are continental birds en route to their 

 accustomed winter quarters, some of them probably remaining 

 with us until the spring. It is not unlikely, however, that 

 many of these migrants among the Robins are home-bred 

 birds on the move to more genial climes, whose absence we 

 scarcely notice, since their places are soon afterwards filled 

 by the arrival of individuals from more northern British and, 

 as stated, continental localities. In fact, the Robin is to a 

 greater or lesser degree a summer and winter migrant. 



In connection with the migratory movements of this species 

 on the Yorkshire coast, the following remarks, by Ed. Blyth, 

 from Rennie's Field Naturalist (November 1833, p. 467), may 

 be quoted : — " On the voyage from London northward, on the 

 i6th of September, when off the coast of Yorkshire, and about 

 ten or twelve miles from Redcliff, several small birds alighted 

 on the vessel ; they were of different species. On the following 

 day others made their appearance, several .... Robins, 

 all ... . left the vessel on the first night after their appear- 

 ance, except two Robins, which remained for some time, 

 and which, with the characteristic effrontery of their species, 

 stationed themselves, the one on the front of the vessel and 

 the other at the stern, and fought at the least intrusion into 

 each other's territory." 



Mr. F. Boyes, writing in the Zoologist for February 1877 

 (p. 42), remarked on the great number of Robins at Spurn 

 on October 23rd 1876 ; he noticed several hundreds of new 

 arrivals amongst the long grass and on the sands, and in all 

 the ditches and hedgerows away from the coast. He states 

 that " this migration of the Robin is not new, but, I believe, 

 an annual occurrence ; last year at this spot they were even 

 more numerous." 



It may be useful here to detail the information respecting 

 this bird which is furnished by the various Migration Reports 

 issued by the British Association Committee : — 



