THE PERILS OF MIGRATION. 171 



interesting, and gives us some idea of this cause of 

 mortality amongst migrants. The following extract 

 from the Report on the Migration of Birds, during 

 1880, communicated by Mr. Robert Gray, will be 

 read with interest : — 



"The ship Rutland of Greenock, Captain 

 Roy. When about 400 miles on this side of 

 Newfoundland, during continued heavy gales from_ 

 the €ast. Captain Roy observed numbers of birds 

 taking refuge, on the 20th September. He had 

 had head winds all the wMy home to England, and 

 birds more or less numerous round the ship till the 

 i^tli October. When he w^as 400 — 500 miles from 

 Ireland, a violent storm arose, and blew prodigious 

 flocks of birds before it. The deck and rigging 

 w^ere covered. Many died, and many were killed 

 and used as food. The survivors, after staying a 

 few days, were carried off by the force of the wind. 

 Captain Roy observed one Robin, lots of Linnets, 

 Snipe, Thrushes, Wagtails, etc. Heavy rains ac- 

 companied the storm." Mr. Gray continues : " My 

 brother-in-law, on his way to Boston in one of the 

 Cunard steamers, saw a Jackdaw and a Starling 

 come on board on Oct. 23rd, during a gale 

 from the east, when 550 miles from the Irish coast, 

 easterly winds having prevailed for several days. 

 On Oct. 24th, 850 miles from land, one Starling 

 perched for a few minutes. A small bird, like a 

 Linnet, hovered about the rigging but did not 

 perch. One Water Rail was captured and detained 

 ten [? two] days, 1200 miles from land, and two 



