THE GREAT MIGRATION 33 



side, we can see the whitish patch on the throat which is 

 missed in their airier circles. Swifts and swallows are so 

 similar in appearance and habits that it was long thought 

 they were true fellow members of one clan. Anatomy shows 

 that the swift belongs to a different group, and is most nearly 

 related to the nightjar. But they are constant companions 

 of the swallow-tribe during their short summer season in 

 England, which lasts little more than three months to the 

 swallows' six. 



Swifts have led us on nearly a month in advance ; many 

 new voices will be heard for the first time before the swift's 

 screech on a May morning. 

 About the middle of April 

 there is a marked increase 

 of summer migrants, in- 

 cluding several new kinds. 

 Ring -ouzels return from 

 abroad to their moorland 

 haunts in the north and U^ 

 west, and are occasionally 

 seen lingering on ranges of hills in more southerly quarters, 

 as if tempted to remain and breed. Yellow wagtails appear 

 in small parties in the water-meadows and by the river banks, 

 where they replace the equally brightly coloured grey wag- 

 tails which haunted them during the winter months. On 

 some soft morning the brilliant cock redstart is seen quivering 

 his ruddy tail on the yew hedge by the lawn, or the rough 

 stone wall of the cow-yard, and sallying into the air or dipping 

 to the ground in quest of insects, much like the flycatchers. 

 The hen redstart is a duller bird than the cock, but has the 

 same way of posting herself on little watch-towers and 

 quivering her conspicuous tail. Redstarts are curiously fitful 

 in their visits to many districts, especially in the south and 



(l.ttO 5 



