110 STUDIES IN BIRD-MIGRATION 



in our islands are sometimes observed from the third 

 week of February at the Hghthouses, and other suitably 

 situated watching stations, under circumstances which 

 leave little doubt that they were departing for their 

 northern native lands. " Grey Geese," Brent Geese, and 

 Iceland Gulls have also been observed moving north- 

 wards at the same period. 



The chief emigratory movements of the month, how- 

 ever, are those of Rooks and Skylarks departing across 

 the southern waters of the North Sea en route for 

 Western Central Europe, whence they came in the 

 autumn to pass the winter with us. These emigrations 

 are embarked upon on the south-east coast of England, 

 and the movements are much in evidence at the lightships 

 stationed off the coasts from Norfolk to Kent, where the 

 birds are observed, during the daytime, proceeding 

 towards the east and south-east, i.e., in the direction of 

 Holland, Belgium, and north-eastern France. 



March. — In its climatic aspects March is a variable 

 month. The advance in temperature over that of 

 February is comparatively small in the British Isles, 

 though on the Continent the increase is rapidly proceed- 

 ing. With us the average amount of sunshine is 7 per 

 cent, of the annual, as against 5 per cent, for the previous 

 month. Though March witnesses a conflict between 

 expiring winter and the advance of spring, yet much 

 migration of a varied nature is performed, and hence 

 it is an important month in the calendar of the bird- 

 watcher. 



Local Movements. — ^The local migrations from British 

 winter to summer haunts are much in evidence, and 

 relate (in addition to the birds already mentioned for 



