216 Mr. A. Newton on the Irruption of 



200 which were observed in Riigen (No. 16) on the 3rd of 

 October, most likely on their return journey. But as I do not 

 suppose that all the surviving visitors could have then collected 

 together, we ought perhaps to allow some 50 more for those 

 which were at that time scattered over Europe, even as far as 

 Italy and the frontiers almost of Spain, many of which (say 

 35) have since been killed. This would bring the strength of 

 the invading force at the first instance up to 665 or 715. It 

 may be that in reality many more started : it would not surprise 

 me to learn that some had tarried on the steppes of the Ukraine, 

 or other places nearer their own home. And then, again, much 

 larger flocks than those whose numbers are actually specified 

 may have been seen in Western Europe, in Denmark, in Ger- 

 many, and Holland ; but the statements are too vague to be of 

 much use to us. A man who looked upon Syrrhaptes paradoxus 

 as a very rare bird might consider himself justified in calling a 

 party of a score or so a large flock. Any how, from the infor- 

 mation we have, I do not think we can set down the number at 

 less than 700. 



It has been represented to me by a naturalist for whose 

 opinion I have a very great respect, that all the birds, even the 

 first obtained, were in full moult, and therefore that it was 

 highly improbable that any of them should remain to breed 

 with us. I have already thrown out the suggestion that it is 

 possible that some of them had already bred in their own 

 country, before they commenced their journey. But, setting 

 aside the undoubted facts, so circumstantially detailed, that a few 

 of them did actually breed in Jutland and in Holland, and also 

 that still later, in autumn and winter, young birds of the pre- 

 ceding season, which were in all probability bred in Europe, 

 have been recognized, as at Brieg (No. 7) and Ostend (No. 50), 

 I would remind my readers that in the somewhat allied 

 family, the Tetraonida, certain of the species are always on the 

 moult from March to November, and therefore it is not unlikely 

 that the same habit may obtain in the Pterodida^. From the 

 accounts which I have received from many persons well qualified 

 to judge, as also from my own experience of the specimens I 



* I see no occasion to follow Nitzsch's example (Pterylograpliie, p. 162) 

 and make a distinct family of Syrrhaptidee. 



