ORNITHOLOGICAL NOTES FROM A SOUTH LONDON SUBURB. 
ARRIVALS. 
First as to the arrivals. These, generally speaking, cross 
England to the W.N.W., both in spring and autumn, their 
visible passage depending very much upon the direction of the 
wind and its varying force at the time this movement takes 
place; whilst it may be regarded as certain that a gale from 
any quarter will partly arrest or may totally divert the course 
of those travelling. This is especially noticeable in the 
autumn passage, which is always more in evidence than that 
of spring. 
DEPARTURES. 
The departure movement is never, either in spring or 
autumn, so marked or visible as that of the arrival; chiefly, 
I believe, because it is a more gradual affair. The spring 
departure of those that winter with us is especially difficult 
to follow, and I have been able to note it——-with any semblance 
of regularity — with the Corvi alone. Of course, by this I 
mean a visible passage. When residing in Kent, near the 
east coast, for several years I remarked parties of foreign 
Rooks and Daws making their journey homewards—e., east- 
ward—at the end of February and beginning of March; this 
passage was always an early morning affair and ceased before 
mid-day. But the autumn departures are very different 
With regard to the summer visitors, a well-marked succession 
of the soft-billed birds may be observed every August and 
September working southward through the country, and yet 
the only wzszble passage is confined to the Swallow tribe, 
which passes in a succession of rushes, invariably to the S.W. 
or 5.E., but chiefly in the former direction. This movement, 
moreover, is certainly more regular and marked than that of 
their arrival in spring. 
FLIGHT AGAINST THE WIND. 
It used to be supposed, and by many the idea is still held, 
that birds come and go with the wind favouring them in their 
proposed direction, but, although this at times may appear to 
be the case, my observations during these many years have 
convinced me that migrants travel best and by choice agaznst 
the wind. Further, upon consideration it will be recognised 
how reasonable and practical such a habit would be. The 
birds then face an air that keeps their feathers closely pressed 
to their bodies, which thus present a smooth surface and a 
shape best adapted for cleaving the air; whilst, on the other 
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