34 Correspondence. [_J\')\ 



From the foregoing it will be seen that I do not imply, nor 

 can I be construed as implying, that a bird wintering in Egypt 

 " knows " the climatic condition of Ireland, as Mr. Ogilby would 

 fain have readers believe. It may, however, be that Mr. Ogilby 

 would have the whole question of migration centre around the 

 results of the " arrival " of the migrants at one terminal only 

 when the migration is practically over, instead of principally at 

 the departure terminal. Some of the migrants, as is natural, 

 arrive after a continuous flight spent and weak, such as the 

 extremely old birds, which become exhausted by trying to keep 

 up with the main body. When birds are in this physically 

 unfit condition it is not at all surprising that the local climatic 

 conditions of their birthplace should ultimately cause their 

 death^a question probably of the survival of the fittest. One 

 must remember also that these physically unfit birds are 

 continually perishing en roiite, and if a purely local condition 

 arises — for instance, a violent storm in the Mediterranean 

 blowing some of the more exhausted of the migrants into the 

 sea and forcing others to alight on passing ships for shelter ; or, 

 again, a cold " depression " overtaking them — it must be 

 expected that greater numbers of birds will perish. Birds must 

 die somewhere ! But why is Mr. Ogilby silent as to the 

 causes that, despite "home sickness" and the "blind and 

 unreasonable instinct," force the migrants to desert the home 

 they love so dearly that they would rather suffer starvation 

 and death than vacate it ? — an assumption one must naturally 

 come to when assimilating the statement by Mr. Ogilby in the 

 last few lines of his letter. Is it not a strange thing that these 

 migrants mentioned should be seized with " home sickness " 

 annually, and at exactly the same " season " of the year } 

 What gives rise to this craving .-' Is it not also a singular 

 coincidence that they breed about this period ? I thank Mr. 

 Ogilby for proving my contention that birds migrate at the 

 same " season " of the year, when he states — " I never knew this 

 frail wanderer fail in putting in an appearance between the date 

 mentioned and the end of the month." I must thank him again 

 for corroborating my statement that migratory birds are of 

 delicate constitutions, the " tragedy " quoted by him apparently 

 proving this, whilst he also uses terms such as " frail wanderer," 

 " delicate," and " fragile " when describing the species of migrants 

 mentioned by him. Reasons of space have shortened my reply, 

 but I think 1 have made it clear that "climatic conditions" — i.e., 

 the " seasons," early or late as they may be as regards date — 

 govern migration directly and indirectly. Nor must it be 

 assumed that I imply that a bird has no " knowledge " of its 

 home, no " memory," and no consequent " love " for it, the 

 contrary being the case. — I am, &c., 



Melbourne, 9/4/06. A. H. E. MATTINGLEY. 



