on the Eddystone. 253 



away. There were also many small Passerines and a number 

 of larger birds — probably Waders, from their notes — present 

 during the movement, but their identity was not established. 

 The Skylarks, Starlings, Song-Thrushes, Redwings, and 

 Blackbirds appeared to be the species most numerously 

 represented, and vast numbers of them were observed ; 

 but certain of the smaller birds were almost equally 

 plentiful. It would have been possible to have cap- 

 tured some of them in great numbers ; and, as it was, 

 the killed or injured and captured included 7Q Skylarks, 

 53 Starlings, 17 Blackbirds, 9 Song-Thrushes, and examples 

 of the liedwing, Mistle - Thrush, Stonechat, Chaffinch, 

 Meadow-Pipit, Grey Wa,gtail, White Wagtail, Goldcrest, 

 and Grasshopper Warbler (a young female of the year). 



I retained the wings and some specimens of all these 

 birds ; and 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 of our bill of 

 fare. 



A notable and important feature was the continual arrival, 

 down to almost the very close of the movement, of fresh 

 emigrants, not only of individuals of the kinds early noted 

 but of other species which had not previously participated 

 in it ; for instance, the Meadow-Pipit did not appear upon 

 the scene until as late as 4.50 a.m. This continuous suc- 

 cession of arrivals indicated, I think, thai some of the birds 

 had come from comparatively near localities on the mainland, 

 while others had travelled from afar ere they reached the 

 Eddystone on their flight southwards. The presence of 

 the Redwing and the Fieldfare added an ultra-British com- 

 plexion to the passage ; and it is possible that others among 

 the migrants, perhaps the majority of them, may also have 

 been drawn from sources beyond the limits of the British 

 Isles. In this connection it may be stated that all the 

 Starlings captured at the lantern (on this and other occa- 

 sions) belonged to the race having a purple head and green 

 car-coverts, which is said to be of Continental origin. Be 



