MIGRATION ON THE COAST. 287 
particular species becomes exceptionally marked, 
the migration then gradually falling off almost, if 
not quite, as imperceptibly as it commenced. 
We now propose briefly to sketch a few of the 
more salient features of migration on the coast, 
during spring and autumn. If the weather be 
favourable, the spring migration of some birds 
commences in February. The species moving at 
that early date are birds that we have in the 
British Isles all the year round, such as Thrushes, 
Hedge Sparrows, Titmice, Wrens, Finches, Bunt- 
ings, Jays, Rooks, and Carrion Crows. The diffi- 
culty in distinguishing migrating individuals of 
these species from others that are sedentary, is 
sufficiently great to render the movement unseen, 
except, perhaps, to experts, or to the keepers of light 
vessels off the coast. The observations of these 
men, however, prove that these birds actually pass 
from our islands to the Continent from that date 
onwards. These birds all migrate nearly due east. 
The next birds to leave their winter quarters in 
Britain are those whose line of migration extends 
north-east, and amongst these we must include such 
familiar species as Blackbirds, Robins, Goldcrests, 
Greenfinches, Chaffinches, Starlings, Hooded Crows, 
Jackdaws, Ring Doves, and Lapwings. For quite 
a couple of months these species continue to 
leave us for Continental breeding-grounds, and 
their presence on the coast, during early spring, is 
an unfailing sign of their departure. Then comes 
