294 STUDIES IN BIRD-MIGRATION 



been appalling, so numerous were the emigrants and so 

 long-continued their passage. 



The bodies of the various Thrushes and Skylarks 

 were served up at dinner for several days, and proved a 

 most welcome relief from the tedium of salt beef, which 

 had figured daily for some time past as the standing dish 

 in our bill of fare. 



On the night of 13th to 14th October, between 

 6.50 P.M. and 2 A.M., a few ''^"Skylarks, ''^Starlings, *Song- 

 Thrushes, ^Chaffinches, several Turtle-Doves, and a 

 *White Wagtail were observed at or around the lantern. 

 The night was, on the whole, starlit and clear, but there 

 were periods during which it was overcast, and then it 

 was that the birds approached the lighthouse. (Wind 

 E.S.E., gentle breeze.) 



The last of the night movements during my visit was 

 one of considerable magnitude and remarkable interest. 

 It set in on the night of 15th October, and was in pro- 

 gress until nearly daybreak of the following morning. The 

 meteorological conditions under which it was witnessed 

 were exceptional, and afforded a clear and unmistakable 

 demonstration of the effect of weather influences, and the 

 extent to which we are dependent thereon for rendering 

 the observation of migratory movements possible at such 

 stations. In this important respect it was one of the 

 most valuable experiences that I had. The night was 

 bright and starlit until 7.30 r.M. ; but from that hour until 

 daybreak the state of the atmosphere was ever oscillating 

 between intervals of brightness, and spells during which 

 the sky was overcast and tinged with haziness, rendering 

 full lantern power necessary. The wind was E.N.E., 

 and varied in force from a moderate to a gentle breeze. 

 After a litllc experience it became possible to tell, by 



