THE MIGRATIONS OF THE EAPWING 243 



These cross - Channel migrations are not much 

 in evidence in the records, however, until November, 

 when no doubt the approach of winter, with its low 

 temperatures, constrains some of them to seek more 

 genial climes. During this month they have been 

 observed leaving our southern shores, especially at 

 the Eddystone and the Isle of Wight stations, in 

 considerable numbers at night, in company with 

 Mistle - Thrushes, Song- Thrushes, Fieldfares, Red- 

 wings, Blackbirds, Starlings, Larks, Golden Plovers, 

 and others 



Autumn Immigration from North- Western Europe. 

 — The autumn arrival of Lapwings on our shores from 

 Scandinavia^ sets in during the first week of October 

 and lasts a little over a month. It is observed at 

 stations extending from Shetland to the northern section 

 of the east coast of England. No great arrivals, cover- 

 ing extensive portions of the coast-line, have been 

 recorded, as in the case of other species, but only 

 scattered instances of moderate numbers (a hundred or 

 so) appearing at intervals. At the northern islands, 

 where the birds arrive some time after the summer 

 visitors have departed, their appearance is irregular ; 

 in some seasons they occur in fair numbers, while 

 in others they are very scarce. In Shetland, after 

 the early days of November, stragglers only are 

 observed. It is doubtful if we derive any very 

 great numbers from Northern Europe, as that 

 portion of Norway from which the British Isles 

 presumably receives immigrant Lapwings affords only 



^ The Lapwing is only a rare straggler to Iceland, but has been observed 

 on passage in small numbers during both spring and autumn, in most years, 

 at the Faroes (Andersen). 



