ii6 THE MIGRATION OF BIRDS. 



habitat. In that year, however, the first signs of 

 the coming irruptions broke into Europe, and 

 examples of this Sand Grouse were obtained in 

 Poland, Jutland, Holland, and the British Islands. 

 It is interesting to note that the evident direction of 

 this wave of emigration followed a north-westerly 

 course from the Kirghiz Steppes, almost exactly 

 corresponding to the normal north-easterly route. 

 Four years later (in 1863) a much more important 

 irruption took place, this time consisting probably 

 of thousands of individuals, and very much the 

 same route was followed ; although, as might be 

 expected in such a great rush of individuals, the 

 wave spread wider and further, extending to Italy 

 and the Pvrenees in the south, to Scandinavia and 

 Archangel in the north, and throughout the British 

 Isles to the Faroes. That these birds were attempt- 

 ing to found new colonies is proved by the fact 

 that many of them endeavoured to breed in places 

 that were best adapted to their requirements. In 

 1888, another and even more important wave of 

 emigrating Sand Grouse spread over Western 

 Europe, the particulars of which will still be fresh 

 in the mind of the reader. This invasion was 

 undoubtedly the most successful of all ; and so well 

 did the birds appear to be established that in our 

 islands a special Act of Parliament w^as passed for 

 their protection. There can be little doubt, how- 

 ever, that Western civilization will be too powerful 

 a check on their colonizing efforts, and that each 

 irruptic wave having the misfortune to flow west- 



