248 STUDIES IN IJIRD-MIGRATION 



Spring Movements from British Winter to British 

 Summer Haunts. — Lapwings may be induced by the 

 prevalence of mild weather to return in small parties 

 to their breeding-grounds in England and the south of 

 Scotland as early as the end of January and beginning of 

 February, but are usually compelled to retreat again by 

 the recurrence of severe climatic conditions. The usual 

 period for their appearance in their summer haunts is 

 about the last week in February and early in March ; 

 and should severe weather follow in the last-named 

 month, many then perish in the more exposed areas. 

 The Scilly Isles, where many winter, are quitted by the 

 middle of February in ordinary seasons. 



Immigrants occasionally appear in Orkney at the end 

 of February ; but this is exceptional, for the summer 

 visitors to these islands do not usually arrive before 

 March. The return to Shetland is timed with great 

 regularity for the first week of March, and, as in Orkney, 

 the arrivals are in progress throughout the month. The 

 Hebrides are sought during late February and early 

 March. The spring movement is a gradual one, as a 

 rule, but on 7th March 1908 over six hundred arrived 

 in a flock at Fair Isle, doubtless en route for the Shetland 

 Islands. 



Spring Immigration from Southern Europe. — The 

 return movements of the Lapwings which departed from 

 our islands in the autumn and winter are observed at 

 the light-stations and elsewhere on the south coast of 

 England. Like the movements of the autumn, they do 

 not come much under notice. Fortunately, however, we 

 possess some important records for the latter half of 

 March and during the first half of April, when the 

 Lapwings have been observed returning in company 



