258 STUDIES IN BIRD-MIGRATION 



as a centre after passage across St George's Channel. 

 Vast numbers of Starlings pour into Ireland by this 

 route between the latter half of October and the middle 

 of November, the passage on some occasions lasting for 

 several successive days/ Occasionally at the stations at 

 the mouth of the Channel and at the Varne lightship, 

 in the Straits of Dover, Starlings and Rooks are recorded 

 as proceeding north-north-west, and as coming from 

 the coast of France. 



Aiitumn Immigration from North- Western Etirope. 

 — The arrival on our shores in the autumn of the 

 Starlings which make their summer homes in Scandinavia 

 does not begin until about two weeks after the first 

 appearance on the coast of England of the emigrants 

 from Central Europe. 



The earliest immigrants from the north appear on 

 the coast of Great Britain during the last days of 

 September or the first half of October,^ and the main 

 body arrives late in the latter month. There are also 

 important inpourings during the early part of November, 

 and in some seasons laggards have made their appear- 

 ance as late as the 21st of the month. ^ A pro- 

 nounced feature of these movements is that the birds 

 arrive in a series of "rushes," there being usually little 

 immigration of a straggling nature chronicled. 



During these movements Starlings are recorded as 

 arriving on the east coast from Shetland to and some- 



^ In 1884 it was observed for eight consecutive days (15th to 22nd October) 

 at light-stations off" the coasts of Waterford, Wexford, and Wicklow. 



- The earliest dates recorded are as follows : — 28th September 1908 

 (Fair Isle), 1st October 1886 and 1907, 3rd October 1884, 6th October 1883, 

 9th October 1882. 



^ Professor Collett informs me that most of the Starlings leave southern 

 Norway in the course of October, and are common at the lighthouses during 

 that month and the early part of November. 



