observed in Ushant. 247 



ornithological station. Ushant appeared to me to lie not 

 only at the diverging point where all those migrants which 

 traverse the southern (French) shores of the Channel and the 

 western coast of France change their course to proceed east or 

 south, according to the season, but also to lie in the course 

 of those birds of passage which, having skirted the western 

 and southern coast-lines of Britain, take their departure from 

 our south-western shores and wing their way southward to 

 their winter-quarters, reversing this route in the spring. 



Thus it is an islet situated amid the two main streams 

 of that vast tide of migrants which flows northward in the 

 spring, and ebbs southward in the autumn, along the shores 

 of Western Europe. 



Nothing, however, appeared to be known concerning the 

 island ornithologically. 



It was a belief in this theory of the importance of Ushant 

 as a station for ornithological observations that led the 

 writer to make an application to the Royal Society for an 

 allotment from the Government Grant, to enable him to 

 visit Ushant for the purpose of making investigations 

 regarding the migration of birds — an application which was 

 fortunately successful. 



The following is an account and detailed record of the 

 results obtained by this little expedition, on which I had the 

 advantage of the companionship and co-operation of my 

 friend Mr. T. G. Laidlaw, of Edinburgh. 



It had been our intention to devote several weeks to 

 making observations on Ushant, but, as the sequel will show, 

 a remarkable and unexpected experience awaited us, and 

 compelled us reluctantly to modify our plans, with the 

 result that the island of Alderney came within the scope of 

 our peregrinations. 



We arrived at the little port of Le Conquet, the place of 

 embarkation for Ushant, situated some twelve miles west 

 of Brest, on the night of the 7th of September last. Early 

 the following morning found us on board the steamer 

 ' Louise,' a small craft which conveys the mails to the Islands 

 of Molene and Ushant : isles which are chiefly associated. 



