204 STUDIES IN BIRD-MIGRATION 



no doubt, accounts for the occasional appearance of 

 small numbers in the depth of winter in Shetland and 

 Orkney and at the Faroes (Andersen). 



Spinng I inrnig ration from the South. — Towards the 

 end of March, the Fieldfares which have wintered in 

 countries south of the British Islands (including, no 

 doubt, the birds driven from Britain by the severities 

 of the past winter) make their appearance on our southern 

 shores, which form an important stage in their spring 

 journey northwards. These return passages across the 

 Channel are continued at intervals throughout April, and 

 are sometimes observed down to the early days of May. 

 During these movements the birds are recorded as 

 arriving at night or in the earliest hours of the morning, 

 and are usually accompanied by Redwings, Thrushes, 

 Blackbirds, Starlings, Wheatears, and other species. 



The immigrants which arrive in England during 

 March do not appear to move northwards at once, but 

 sojourn with us for a little time before departing for 

 their summer quarters in Northern Europe. 



Spring Passage and Emigration. — The departure 

 from our isles of the Fieldfares which have wintered 

 with us, and of the birds of passage also on their way 

 to the northern breeding haunts, does not commence 

 until the latter days of March (22nd earliest) or the 

 early days of April, and ordinarily lasts until the second 

 week in May, but in some seasons is prolonged until 

 about the middle of that month, while stragglers are 

 annually observed as late as its last week. 



Some of the great spring emigrations cover con- 

 siderable sections of the eastern sea-board, having been 

 observed from the Fame Islands to Orkney and Shet- 

 land, and from the Wash to the Firth of Forth. 



