Manchester Memoirs, Vol. liii. (1909), No. V\. 



XV. The Use of Wind by Migrating Birds. 



By F. Stubbs. 

 (Comnninicatcd by Mr. T. A. Coward, F.Z.S.) 



/'deceived and read February 2jrd, igog. 



Most modern observers think that birds when 

 migrating, or even when moving short distances, fly 

 against a head wind, or with a beam wind. Gatke 

 (" Hehgoland," Etig. Trans., p. 27) beheved that " to 

 escape the disagreeable experience of having the wind 

 blowing obliquely through their plumage from behind " 

 birds turned their heads to the wind. Mr. Headley 

 states {British Birds,* vol i., p. 121, 1907) that "if a bird 

 flying with the wind only equals its velocity, he is part of 

 the moving current, as the balloon is. The air does not 

 resist, and consequently does not support him, but it 

 assists gravitation. It would also ruffle his plumage." 

 Mr. J. H. Gurney says without hesitation {Zoologist, 

 1888, p. 81) that "no one who has paid any attention to 

 the subject can have failed to observe that the feathered 

 visitants to this country will always, if possible, fly 

 against the wind." 



Anyone acquainted with the literature of ornithology 

 will be able to add to these instances, but I am not aware 

 of any record of accurate observations supporting this 

 popular theory. Mr. W. E. Clarke's observations {Rep. 

 Brit. Ass., Liverpool, 1896, p. 476) that "strong winds 



*The title of the magazine British Birds is printed in italics. The 

 titles of such completed works as Yarrell's "British Birds" are here given 

 in inverted commas preceded by the author's name. 



April 26th, igog. 



