A 
the stunted thorn. bushes on the dunes or links for miles along’ the 
coast swarming with these tiny creatures—the smallest migrant ia 
the entire palearctic region. Some have been much more 
exhausted than others ; some have actually rocked to and fro with 
weakness, as they sat upon the twigs; but the more robust ones 
were feeding eagerly, and some even indulged in song!” He 
thinks that these flocks represent only the strongest, and that all 
their weaker companions have succumbed to the fatigue, and 
‘perished at sea. The greatest natural enemies of migrants are 
hawks, falcons, and owls. The large falcons follow migrating 
ducks, the smaller hawks live upon the warblers, thrushes, finches, 
and the like. Hawks will even hunt for small migrants in the 
rays of the lanterns of the lighthouses. Many of these birds of 
pray are themselves migratory, and are careful to make their own 
migrations correspond with those of their victims. + 
Lighthouses and lightships are a great danger to birds. In 
cloudy and foggy weather, numbers kill themselves by flying against 
‘the glass. Foghorns seem to prevent birds striking. Seabirds 
rarely strike, except stormy petrels. Here is the report of Mr, 
Littlewood, keeper of the Galloper light vessel, moored fifty miles 
off the mouth of the Thames, made on the night of October 6th, 
‘1882 :—‘“ Larks, starlings, mountain sparrows, titmice, common 
‘wrens, redbreasts, chaffinches, and plover were picked up on the 
deck, and it is calculated that from 500 to 600 struck the rigging 
and fell overboard; a large proportion of these were larks. 
“Thousands of birds were flying round the lantern from 11.30 p.m. 
to 4.45 a.m., their white breasts as they darted ‘to and fro in the 
circle of light, having the appearance of a heavy fall of snow. 
This was repeated on the 8th and 12th, and on the night of the 
-13th, 160 were piched up on deck, including larks, starlings, and 
-two redbreasts; it was thought 1,000 struck and went overboard 
dnto the sea.’’ Woodcocks have broken glass 8-8th inch thich 
-by the force of contact. A little grebe (Podiceps minor), struck 
.the lantern of the Hasbro light vessel, off the Norfolk coasts, at 
‘11 p.m. on the night of March 30th, 1883, with such force as to 
-split the bird from the neck along the entire length of the body.! 
At the Longstone Lighthouse on November 10th, 1885, ‘“‘ one of 
the large snipe struck south-east side of lantern at 9.45 p.m., and 
-was almost smashed to pieces.” At a lighthouse off Wexford, 
1,200 birds were counted as killed in a single night, whilst 
‘hundreds more fell into the sea. z 
The great spring migration of birds may be said to commence 
-about the middle of February. Migration flows and ebbs with the 
‘sun. The spring migration advances in the wake of the sun, on 
chis apparent northward course, and in the same way the autumn 
