ORDER OF MIGRATION ACCORDING TO AGE AND SEX 103 



settle beyond all doubt the question as to the difference in the time 

 of migration of old and young birds. Among the species specially 

 bearing on this question, the Starlings occupy a place of special 

 prominence, not only on account of the marked differences of their 

 early and advdt plumage, but also because of their appearance in 

 extraordinary numbers, in regard to which latter phenomenon the 

 year 1878 was particularly distinguished. The entries are as 

 follows : — 



Starling : some few scattered examples of old birds in much worn 

 plumage during the first week in June, these being probably individuals 

 which had lost their spouses, or the broods of which had perished. 



Jime 20 and 21. — Great flights of young birds. 

 „ 22 and 23. — Enormous quantities of young birds. 



Thousands of young birds daily luitil the end of the month. 

 July. — From the 1st to the 12th, from thousands to tens of thousands 

 of young birds daily. 

 ,, 16. — Many flocks of young birds. 

 ,, 25. — Immense multitudes of young birds. 

 Hereupon ensues a pause of two months during which no Starlings^ 

 neither young nor old birds, occurred ; after this the migration 

 began afresh in the following manner : — 

 September 22. — Starlings— old birds in fresh plumage— flights of 



many hundreds. 

 October 2 and 7. — Large quantities of old birds. 

 ,, 8. — Flights of thousands. 



,, 13. — Hooded Crows and old Starlings in tens of thousands. 

 „ 14. — Hooded Crows in many thousands ; Starhngs in hundreds 

 of thousands. 

 October 1.5th, many; 16th, very few; 20th, tens of thousands; 28th, 



very many. 

 November 18 and 19. — Flights of old Starlings, numbering from 



twenty to fifty individuals. 

 December 9 to 18. — Daily flights of from forty to sixty individuals. 



The course of the migration of the Starling j^roceeds here in 

 the same manner year after year, provided it is not interfered with 

 by wind or weather. Young grey birds migrate across Heligoland 

 and on both sides of it in a broad column from the last week in 

 June to the end of July ; then thei'e ensues a pause of from six to 

 eight weeks, followed at about the end of September by the appear- 

 ance of the first of the old birds in black plumage. Their numbers 

 increase in the course of October to astonishing j^i'oportions, 

 diminish considerably in November, and end in small flights 

 towards the close of the year. 



After the Starlings, the Wheatear appears here on favourable 



