2 52 THE MIGRATIOX OF BIRDS. 



Passeres, but towards the end a perceptible pre- 

 ponderance of adult birds is noticed. At intervals 

 a general rusli of one or two particular species will 

 be noted ; one night it is Willow Wrens, White- 

 throats, Tree Pipits, and Sedge Warblers ; another 

 night Thrushes, Wagtails, Flycatchers, and perhaps 

 large flocks of Plovers, Dunlins, and Swallows, wdth 

 an odd Woodcock or a Corn Crake, or a little party 

 of Robins and Meadow Pipits. No particular hour 

 seems chosen by each migrant ; all are hurrying 

 along the great highways which are the common 

 property of each. By the beginning of October 

 the great majority of our summer birds are gone ; 

 little more than the last lingering flocks of Swallows 

 remain behind. Many of the hardier birds continue 

 to pass our coasts, however, to more southern 

 latitudes, such as Buntings, Thrushes of various 

 kinds, Meadow Pipits, Larks, and Starlings ; and 

 now the great autumn influx of birds coming to 

 the British Islands to winter continues day by day 

 to swell in volume. Waders and Water Birds still 

 continue to pass south, striking our coasts from the 

 north-east, and following the shore on their way, or 

 pass over more inland at great altitudes ; others 

 arrive to winter upon them. By the end of October 

 the last of our own summer migrants have gone, 

 and our avifauna assumes quite a different character. 

 Up to the end of September the general stream 

 of Migration breaks upon our islands from the 

 North-east, then a very perceptible change of 

 direction takes place, and the predominating line of 



