INTRODUCTION. XI 



Lancashire, Introductory, ]). x, that the numbers of the 

 Limlcolce and Anatkkc which visit the west coast of England 

 are greatly inferior to those of the east coast, and it is pro- 

 bably true of Cumberland ; but it must be borne in mind that 

 certain species are fully as abundantly represented on the west 

 coast as on the east, e.g.^ myriads upon myriads of Oyster- 

 catchers winter on the shingled shores of the Cumbrian 

 Solway, whilst "clouds" of Dunlins are present on the 

 entire Cumbrian coast, e^icept during the breeding season. 

 But, when Mr. Mitchell goes on to state, that Scandmavian 

 and Siberian forms are " very irregularly represented on the 

 west coast in comparison with species breeding in Scotland, 

 Iceland, and Greenland," he appears to i^s, to adopt an 

 uncertain footing ; for, if it be granted that all the Whimbrels, 

 Purple Sandpipers, Barnacle Geese, and other species probably 

 nesting in the great north-west region thus created by Mr. 

 Mitchell, are the identical individuals which visit the west 

 coast of England during autumn and winter ; we shall still 

 have to account for the presence of the Grey Plover, Green 

 Sandpiper, Bar-tailed Godwit, Woodcock, Solitary Snipe, 

 Jack Snipe, Little Stint, Goldeneye, Smew, and a host of 

 other visitants from north-east Europe. Or, if the Eedwing 

 and Siskin visit the western counties from Iceland and 

 Scotland, at least the Fieldfare, the Brambling, the Short-eared 

 Owl, arrive in dense numbers from Scandinavia. Whilst, 

 therefore, the west coast route is no doubt followed by a large 

 proportion of winter immigrants from the north-west, as well 

 as by many summer visitants, e.g., the Sand Martin, Common 

 Sandpiper ; it can hardly be denied that a route or routes must 

 exist, by which the little voyageurs from north-east Europe 

 annually travel in safety to the woods and shores of Cumber- 

 land. And the key to the problem lies in the fact, long since 

 suggested by Mr. E. Gray, endorsed also, incidentally, by 



