264 STUDIES IN BIRD-MIGRATION 



Spring Emigration to Central Eni'ope. — The spring 

 emigration from the coast of south-eastern England 

 eastwards across the North Sea of the StarHngs which 

 are returning to summer quarters in Central Europe, after 

 wintering in the British Isles and in South- Western 

 Europe (the latter being birds of passage), is very little 

 in evidence as compared with the great immigratory 

 movements on the part of these same birds during the 

 autumn. 



It comes under observation, however, in passing 

 over the great fleet of lightships stationed between the 

 Wash and the mouth of the Thames, and takes place 

 between the middle of February and the end of March. 

 There are no April movements chronicled, nor have 

 other species been recorded as emigrating along with 

 the Starlings, The observations on these return move- 

 ments relate to the daytime only, though many doubt- 

 less pass unnoticed during the night. 



Spring Emigration to North- Western Europe. — The 

 return movements to their summer haunts in Scandi- 

 navia of those Starlings which have wintered in the 

 British Isles, or have traversed our shores on their way 

 from winter quarters in South-Western Europe, like all 

 emigratory movements, come but little under notice. 

 They are performed at night, and under favourable 

 weather conditions, during March and April,^ and are 

 observed chiefly at stations on the north-east coast of 

 Great Britain, and in the Orkneys and Shetlands where 

 many break their journey ; the other birds noted as 

 emigrating at the same time being Skylarks, Fieldfares, 



' Professor Collet informs me that Starlings arrive singly in southern 

 Norway about the middle of March, and in flocks at the beginning of 

 April. 



