MIGRATION 557 



consider that the majority of observations have been made towards 

 what is the northern limit of the range of the Fasseres, to which the 

 remark is especially applicable — in the British Islands, France, 

 North Germany, and the Russian Empire — for it is plain that at 

 the beginning of the journey any inequality in the speed of travel- 

 ling will not have become so very manifest. There is also another 

 matter to be noticed. It has been suspected that where there is 

 any difference in the size of birds of the same species, particularly 

 in the dimensions of their wings, the individuals that perform the 

 most extensive journeys are naturally those with the longest and 

 broadest remiges, and in support of this view it certainly appears 

 that in some of the smaller migrants — such as the Wheateak (6VmcoZa 

 cenanthe) and Willow-Wren (Phylloscopvs irocJiihs) — the examples 

 which reach the extreme north of Europe and there pass the summer 

 possess greater mechanical powers of flight than those of the same 

 species which stop short on the shores of the Mediteri'anean. It 

 may perhaps be also inferred, though precise evidence is wanting, 

 that these same individuals push further to the southward in winter 

 than do those which are less favoured in this respect. It is pretty 

 nearly certain that such is the case with some species, and it may 

 well be so with individuals. Canon Tristram has remarked {Ibis, 

 1865, p. 77) that, in many genera of birds, "those species which 

 have the most extended northerly have also the most extended 

 southerly range ; and that those which resort to the highest latitudes 

 for nidification also pass fiu-ther than others to the southward in 

 winter," fortifying his opinion by examples adduced from the genera 

 Turdus, Fringilla, C^jpselus, and Turtur. But supposing this to be 

 true for many Birds, it may fairly be doubted whether it is so for 

 all, and whether in some species certain individuals do not always 

 occupy the most northern portion of the range and others always 

 keep to the most southern, no matter what the season of the year 

 may be, or over what countries the range may extend. On this 

 point therefore it will be advisable to await further investigation. 



For many years past a large number of persons in different 

 countries have occupied and amused themselves by carefully register- 

 ing the dates on which various migratory Birds first make their appear- 

 ance, and certain publications abound with the records so compiled.^ 

 Some of the observers have been men of high scientific repute, others 

 of less note but of not inferior capabilities for this especial object. 

 Still it does not seem that they have been able to determine what 

 connexion, if any, exists between the arrival of birds and the state 



1 These are far too numerous to mention here. Perhaps the most remarkable 

 series of them is that carried on from 1736 to 1810 and again from 1836 to 1874 

 by four generations of the Marsham family at Stratton-Strawless and Rippon 

 near Korwich, of which an account is given by Mr. Southwell {Trans. Korf. <& 

 Norw. Nat. Soc. ii. p. 31). 



