292 STUDIES IN BIRD-MIGRATION 



travel-talk which is, as yet, an unknown tongue to most 

 of us. Nor was it an easy matter promptly to assign a 

 familiar utterance to its rightful throat, when heard under 

 such highly peculiar conditions, and to an accompaniment 

 supplied by the roar of the surf on the surrounding reefs. 

 It was interesting to note the varying degree in which 

 the mesmeric influence of the light was exercised over 

 the different species. The Starling was the most suscep- 

 tible subject present ; and this clever bird became, under 

 the sway of the lantern, not only a complete fool, but a 

 seemingly willing sacrifice. It was quite fearless and 

 indifferent to the presence of myself and the keepers on 

 the gallery, for it hustled past us in the most uncere- 

 monious fashion to reach the lantern, and, being baulked 

 on the threshold by the windows, made vigorous attempts 

 to reach the seductive lamp. After having exhausted 

 itself in these vain efforts, it sat on the sills and sashes, 

 drinking in, as it were, the light, until it became quite 

 stupefied, and when picked off would sit contentedly on 

 one's hand. Great numbers were removed from the 

 lantern and cast over into the darkness below ; but 

 many of them immediately returned. The Skylark was 

 nearly as frequent a victim. It came up in great 

 numbers to the light, but not being accustomed to perch 

 on such slio-ht coiorns of vantao;e as the metal framework 

 of the windows, it fluttered violently against the glass 

 for a time, and, becoming exhausted, sank prostrate on 

 the gallery.^ Tennyson has truly said : — 



. . . the beacon's blaze allures 

 The bird of passage, till he madly strikes 

 Against it, and beats out his weary life. 



' I may here remark that I took with me to the Eddystone a quantity of 

 netting, with which I completely surrounded the gallery by hanging it 



