GEOGRAPHICAL ASPECTS 89 



and Start Point (partly by an overland llight across 

 Devonshire), whence the travellers cross the Channel to 

 reach their various winter retreats. 



The main body of the birds which are summer 

 guests in Ireland, and those which have traversed her 

 eastern shores on leaving the Scottish coasts and isles, 

 take their departure from the Wexford coast, and cross 

 St George's Channel, for the south-west of England, 

 as has just been mentioned. A more western stream, 

 on quitting the sister isle, probably flows direct towards 

 the coast of Brittany, though it may lap the shores of 

 Scilly and the Land's End. 



While traversing our coasts, the migrations of these 

 departing summer birds are much in evidence, for many 

 of them are performed leisurely and during the day- 

 time, the birds feeding and resting as they go. Many, 

 too, pass along them in the night-time, and it is then 

 that the great majority of the travellers quit our shores 

 for their southern winter-homes. These remarks apply 

 equally to the migrations of the birds of passage which 

 have arrived from the north and east, and are likewise 

 moving along our shores at this season to reach their 

 more southern retreats. These two sets of migrants 

 undoubtedly often join forces in September and October, 

 and journey southwards in company. 



Some account of these autumn emigratory flights 

 across the Channel will be found in the chapter wherein 

 I relate my experiences as a bird-watcher on the 

 Eddystone. 



In addition to the emigratory movements of our 

 summer visitors for their southern winter retreats, there 

 are autumnal migrations from Britain to Ireland on the 

 part of Starlings, Skylarks, Chaffinches, Greenfinches, 



