ROUTES OF MIGRATION 215 



southern lands in autumn or to more northern lands in 

 spring. 



We will first consider the Routes followed by our 

 Summer Migrants, and endeavour to trace the various 

 points at which these species enter and depart from the 

 British Archipelago, Unquestionably these routes are 

 the most difficult of all to trace, owing to our sad lack 

 of necessary information. In the first place, we must 

 continually bear in mind the Law that forbids a southern 

 emigration, and which renders a flight south in spring 

 impossible. So far as I can at present ascertain, the 

 bulk of our Summer Migrants enter the British Area 

 between say Beachy Head and Dover. Less important 

 points of entry are situated on all the great southern 

 land projections from Selsey Bill to the Lizard, including 

 the Isle of Wight, St. Alban's Head, Portland Bill, and 

 the whole of South Devonshire (locally known as the 

 ^' South Hams"). As we progress west, however, the 

 Migration gradually assumes a weaker and weaker 

 character, and probably is extremely slight at the 

 Lizard. The Migration that enters by the south-west 

 coast of Ireland, judging from the British Association 

 Migration Reports, is weak, as we might naturally expect 

 to be the case, owing to the wide water area between 

 that district and continental land. We have many 

 indications that the migration of birds into the south 

 of England is much weaker in the west, where the sea 

 is so much wider, than it is in the east, where the sea- 

 passage is narrow. But little migration is reported from 

 the Start Lighthouse, the keeper stating " that very few 

 birds are observed at his station." For instance, many 

 summer migrants are notably rare in the south-west of 



