.114 THE MIGRATION OF BRITISH BIRDS 



to follow a similar sunken coast between New Caledonia 

 and New Zealand {Migration of Birds, pp. 99, 100). 



The significance of the facts suggested in the above 

 table cannot be ignored by any student of Migration 

 and Avian dispersal. Out of the 75 species enumerated, 

 the breeding range of no less than 14 species is absolutely 

 continuous between the two extreme areas, and these 

 species breed in this direction from the British Islands 

 to Greenland wherever land occurs.^ Taking Iceland as 

 the next most remote area on this line of dispersal, we 

 find (including one or two doubtfuls) that no fewer 

 than 58 species, or about eight-tenths of the whole, 

 resort to it to breed ; whilst almost exactly the same 

 number of species (57) breed on the F'aroes. In two 

 cases at least we find that the highest northern emi- 

 gration of the species throughout the world has been 

 made along this route, which fact seems almost incredible 

 when we bear in mind the geographical conditions of 

 the area, and the comparative ease of a continental 

 extension. The Gadwall {Anas strepera) breeds in Ice- 

 land, certainly north of lat. 64°, but only reaches lat. 

 57° in Scandinavia, and lat. 60° in the Stanavoi Moun- 

 tains in Siberia ; the Rock Dove {Colinnba livia) breeds 

 in lat. 62° in the Faroes, but only does so up to lat. 

 59° in Scandinavia, its highest known northern limit 

 elsewhere. The Chough {Pyrrhocorax gracnius) and the 

 Nightingale {Erithacus Inscinia) attain their highest 



^ More information on this intricate subject is badly needed. 

 We want particulars respecting the birds of East Greenland especi- 

 ally from lat. 65" northwards through Egedes Land, before we can 

 come to any absolutely correct conclusion respecting Avian Emi*' 

 gration from Europe in this direction. 



