190 ]\Ir. A. Newton un the Irruption of 



tlicir inarch ; and that lie obtained a complete series of specimens 

 of this species, showing its development from the egg to the 

 adult bird. 



By the above passages from Radde's experience, it will be seen 

 that Sijrrhaptes is subject to sudden movements oil a very large 

 scale, and of a kind which, at first sight, appear almost capri- 

 cious. Bearing this in mind, we shall be, I think, the better pre- 

 pared for the consideration of last yearns extraordinary irruption. 

 I must only premise that it is not at all to be taken for granted, 

 as I have commonly seen it done, that the immense flock which 

 then or formerly visited Europe started from Dauria or the 

 frontiers of China. On the contrary, a little reflection will show 

 that it is of course far more probable that the birth-place of the 

 European invaders was the western extremity of their ordinary 

 range — the country immediately on the other side of the Caspian 

 Sea, whence, as I have said, the species was first obtained and 

 described. But this is quite far enough off to make such a 

 Scythian exodus in these days sufficiently remarkable. Some 

 4000 geographical miles is a pretty long journey, even for a bird 

 blessed with such powerful organs of aerial locomotion as Sj/r- 

 rhaptes jmradowus ; and yet it is as certain as anything well can 

 be that at least this distance was accomplished by several birds, 

 and a distance not much less by very many birds, none of them, 

 be it remembered, guided to a fixed goal by the traditional 

 instinct of migration accumulated through long generations, 

 but all urged by some not less forcible impulse, concerning 

 which, for the present, we must suspend our judgment. 



I have now to compile from the records, whether published 

 or unpublished, that have reached me a catalogue of all the 

 occurrences of Syrrhaptes paradoxus in Europe during tlie last 

 twelve months. This Hst I shall arrange geographically, and 

 therein it will differ from any I have yet seen. My main reason 

 for doing so is that, unfortunately, many of these records are 

 without ]n-ecise date, and, therefore, it would be next to impos- 

 sible in any other way to avoid a great deal of confusion. To 

 the name of each locality I add its approximate longitude as 

 calculated from Greenwich, and ascertained in every case, as far 

 as possible, by reference to Keith Johnston's ' Royal Atlas of 



