THE MIGRATIONS OF THE STARLING 263 



from winter retreats continue at intervals during March 

 and the early part of April, the 12th being the latest 

 date on which they have been chronicled. The later 

 migrants are, without doubt, birds of passage, which 

 after arrival proceed along both the east and west 

 coasts (mainly the former), en route for summer 

 quarters in Northern and Central Europe. They 

 appear on the south coast during the night and early 

 morning, and travel in company with Redwings, Ring- 

 Ouzels, Wheatears, Redstarts, Blackcaps, Chiffchaffs, 

 Willow- Warblers, and Swallows.^ 



Starlings have been noted as spring immigrants on 

 the south-east coast of Ireland at dates ranofin^ from 

 the third week of February to mid-April. This indicates 

 a return either of Starlings which have quitted Ireland 

 for the winter, or of birds of passage on their way north ; 

 or, again, most probably of both, for the period is wide- 

 ranging — sufficiently so to cover both the return of native 

 birds and the movements of birds of passage. During 

 the later dates, these Irish immigrants are sometimes 

 accompanied by various summer visitors and birds 

 proceeding further north — Wheatears, Ring - Ouzels, 

 Redwings, etc. Similar movements in the Hebrides are 

 recorded as late as 14th April. 



^ On some occasions Starlings and other species (Skylarks, " Black Crows," 

 Rooks, Goldcrests, and Wild Ducks) have been recorded as arriving on the 

 south-east coast of England in the spring. Thus at the Leman and Ower 

 lightship, forty-eight miles east-north-east of Cromer, from nth Feb- 

 ruary to 8th May 1883, the birds named are scheduled as proceeding 

 in a westerly direction. In the Zoologist for 1870 (p. 2 140) it is recorded from 

 Aldeburgh that during the second week of March immense numbers of 

 Rooks and Starlings were almost constantly arriving " from over the sea." 

 In the same journal for 1902 (p. 87) Mr Gurney states that on 23rd March 

 1901 some were picked up dead on the beach at Yarmouth, along with 

 Rooks "which had lost their lives in crossing." Similar but more regularly 

 recorded movements are performed by the Rook. 



