18 Mr. A. ILiagner on 



friends iu Germany and Hungary, it has been proved beyond 

 the shadow of a doubt that birds from the northern })art of 

 Europe wend their way southwards, across the Equator to 

 the heart of South Africa. Seebohm's idea was that the 

 migrants from furthest north go furthest south, while Mr. 

 W. L. Schiter, in the case of the Bee-eaters [Merops apiaster), 

 suggests the reverse (Journal S. A. 0. A. vol. ii. No. 1, 

 p. 17). This matter can only be satisfactorily settled where 

 a complete chain of observers exists between north and south. 

 This desirable position may not be so very far ahead, as iu 

 British East Africa a Natural History Society has just been 

 formed, and I have already been in communication with its 

 Secretary as to the probability of co-operating in this im- 

 portant work. The reply received from Mr. Sergeant (the 

 Secretary) was very satisfactory. When we know the 

 dates the binls leave North and South Europe, and arrive 

 in North, Central, and South Africa, something like a 

 positive result can be expected. It is with the hope of 

 inducing all our Members, as well as those of the East Africa 

 and Uganda Natural History Society, to do their best in the 

 matter of observing, that these few remarks are penned. If a 

 Member cannot find time to observe and report upon all the 

 migrants mentioned in our circulars, then let him confine 

 himself to the White Stork for the present. 



These birds, as is well known, breed in Europe, and the 

 method adopted by the followers of the Vogelwarte Rossitten 

 and the Hungarian Bureau of Ornithology is to mark the 

 young birds (fledglings) in the nest before they fly. This 

 marking is done by means of an aluminium ring, so light 

 and so loosely litted on the leg that no harmful effect on the 

 bird is noticed. 



The following record of ringed Storks obtained in South 



Africa will prove the efficacy of the method adopted : — 



(a) Marked by the Vogelwarte Rossitten: — (1) Fort 



Jameson ; (2) Kalahari Desert ; (3) Morija, Basuto- 



land ; (4) Maluti Mountains, near Maseru, Basuto- 



land. 



{b) Marked by the Royal Hungarian Central Bureau : — 



