THE MIGRATIONS OF THE LAPWING 247 



tionally severe, and so continued for long. At the 

 Eddystone and elsewhere on the south coast, no Lap- 

 wings had been observed crossing the Channel previously 

 during the winter, but on 2nd February, and again on 

 the 13th and 15th, great numbers passed southwards 

 both by day and by night. Winter movements within 

 our isles have been recorded as late as mid- March ; on 

 the 15th, in 1881, many Lapwings, along with Skylarks, 

 Starlings, Golden Plovers, Woodcocks, and Snipes, were 

 observed flying southwards before snow at the Nash 

 lighthouse, on the north shore of the Bristol Channel. 



It is when retreating before these adverse conditions 

 that the movements of the Lapwing become pronounced 

 and widespread, and in this respect contrast markedly 

 with the other migrations of this species. It is on such 

 occasions, too, that the bird chiefly approaches the 

 lanterns and is killed or captured — a fate which does not 

 commonly befall it.^ On the night of 17th December 

 1885, twenty-one were captured at the Eddystone out 

 of several hundreds which appeared at the light — the 

 record for the period 1880- 1887. 



Winter Immigration from Western Central Eiirope. 

 — During severe winters on the Continent, the east-to- 

 west passage of Lapwings across the southern waters of 

 the North Sea is renewed. The immigrants, as in the 

 autumn, arrive on the south-east coast of England, and 

 pass westward in search of the milder areas within our 

 isles, or proceed further south beyond our shores.^ 



' In sixteen years eight only were obtained at the Irish light-stations ; 

 and Mr Herluf Winge informs me that twenty-one were killed at the Danish 

 stations during a like period. 



- At Great Yarmouth, on 22nd December 1894, hundreds of Lapwings 

 were observed "coming over" against a strong north-west gale, and many 

 were drowned. — Zoologist^ 1900, p. 163. 



