26 



Bird Notes and News 



and details of the apparatus had to be 

 adapted and altered for the purpose, 

 and this entailed not a little skill and 

 labour, as the shape of the construction 

 of the building had to be considered. 

 Moreover it was essential that the light 

 seaward should be in no way interfered 

 with, and perches in the dark were 

 comparatively useless, since the birds 

 are apparently unable to use these. 

 Mr. Thijsse's co-worker, Mr. Burdet, 

 came over from Holland to visit the 

 installation at St. Catherine's in company 

 with members of the R.S.P.B. Council. 



The autumn migration is not greatly 

 affected at the Lighthouses already 

 chosen, the birds being then mostly 

 outward bound ; but the reports received 

 at the end of 1913 were satisfactory. 

 The keepers stated that large numbers of 

 birds had settled on the rests on many 

 nights, and expressed the opinion that 

 the lives of considerable numbers must 

 be saved because they did undoubtedly, 

 as Mr. Thijsse had said, flutter round 

 about the light, and when they found the 

 perches, would remain on them until 

 dawn. 



The spring of 1914 was exceptionally 

 favourable to migrants arriving on the 

 English coast, owing to the fine clear 

 nights prevalent in April and May. 

 The occasions of mist and cloud and 

 rain were, however, sufficient to prove 

 beyond doubt the value of the scheme. 

 Thousands of birds on these nights, 

 instead of fluttering on weary wings 

 about the baffling fight, discovered the 

 long line upon line of perches and crowded 

 upon these until, with the break of 

 morning, they could safely take wing 

 once more and find the land in whose 

 green woods and hedgerows they were 

 born. It was a strange sight, the light- 

 house-keepers told with evident interest 

 to members of the Council, to go into the 



gallery at night and see these little birds 

 — thousands of little birds— huddled to- 

 gether thickly wherever places could be 

 found, birds of many species and varying 

 sizes, but all alike in their strange passion 

 to reach their native place — some quickset 

 hedge, some primrose -starred wood, some 

 lichen-tinted barn — and in their tiredness 

 of wing and their longing for light and 

 rest. It was, said one witness of the 

 scene, the most wonderful sight he had 

 seen in his life. 



It has been pointed out that most of 

 our spring migrants are insectivorous 

 birds of economic importance to the 

 land, and that the greater number of 

 them are also song-birds. The Warbler 

 tribe — Willow and Wood, Reed, Sedge, 

 and Grasshopper, Garden and Blackcap — 

 the two Whitethroats, the Tree-Pipit, 

 and the Nightingale furnish the summer 

 songs that make English country what 

 it is for music ; and these, together with 

 the Swallows, Flycatchers, Nightjar, 

 Swift, Corncrake, Wryneck, and Wheat- 

 ear feed throughout their time here on 

 insect food and are thus invaluable at 

 the season of the year when insect life is 

 reproducing itself as by miracle. 



In the autumn a different stream of 

 migrants sets in, visitors whose northern 

 nesting-grounds have grown cold and 

 foodless ; while other species are passing 

 south, and many partial migrants, such 

 as Skylarks, Starlings, and Thrushes are 

 on the move. Woodcock also come over 

 in considerable numbers in October and 

 have notably been victims to the Light- 

 house lantern. Such birds stand in need 

 of protection in the stormy autumn 

 nights no less than do the spring im- 

 migrants in April drizzles. 



The installation of bird-perches and 

 resting-places at a Lighthouse costs in 

 the first place from £60 to £100, according 

 to the work required, and the running 



