Tin: Aiir;H,\'rTo\s nv ttti: skvt.ark 23h 



In February there are, as a rule, movements more or 

 less local, and due to snow, and in that month of 1886, 

 which was cold and snowy, movement followed move- 

 ment throughout its course. The March migrations are 

 not of much account, since they are local in their nature, 

 but in unusually inclement seasons, like 18S3 and 1887, 

 there were "rushes" to the coast as late as the 20th of 

 that month. ^ For further instances of the effects of severe 

 seasons on this and other species, see the chapter which 

 is devoted to Winter Movements. 



Spring Immigration of Shimmer J'isiiants and Rc- 

 tj(.7'7i of Winter Emigrants. — The return of the Skylarks 

 which have left us during the autumn and winter is 

 observed on the southern coasts of both Great Britain and 

 Ireland early in the year, their arrival beginning, as a 

 rule, during the latter half of February, and occasionally 

 as early as the second week (in 1886 on the iith), the 

 immigration continuing throughout March. The precise 

 time seems to be influenced by the character of the 

 season. If the early spring be mild and genial, they 

 begin to return early ; but if the contrary, their 

 appearance is delayed. On arrival on the south coast 

 of England many pass northward along the east and 

 west coasts, the latter being the route chiefly followed 

 by the earlier immigrants. The return to Ireland corre- 

 sponds closely with the arrival in southern England, the 

 earliest observation for the period 1882-87 being on loth 

 February 1886, and from that time the movements 

 occur at intervals. The other species of birds which 



^ At the Nash hghthouse, on the Glamorgan coast, on 15th March 1887, 

 Skylarks, Starlings, Snipes, Woodcocks, Lapwings, Golden Plovers, Wild 

 Ducks, and others were seen flying before heavy snow from 8.30 A.M. to 

 3 P.M. 3 two or three hundred being seen at a time. 



