CHAPTER X. 



THE AUTUMN ASPECTS OF MIGRATION IN THE 

 BRITISH AREA. 



Migration more Apparent in Autumn than in Spring — Difficulties 

 of Observing the Phenomenon — Commencement of Autumn 

 Migration in the British Islands — Arrival of- Birds from the 

 North and North-east — The Species that are the Earliest to 

 Arrive — Growing Intensity of the Movement — The Hardier 

 Species are Latest to Appear — Autumn Migration of Fieldfare 

 and Redwing — The Earliest Departures from the British 

 Area — Early Migrants Abnormal — The Growing Intensity of 

 Southern Migration as Autumn advances — Duration of Migra- 

 tion Periods — The Migration into the British Area from the 

 East — General Aspects of the Phenomenon — Abnormal Lines 

 of Migration in Autumn — Cross Migration in Autumn — Re- 

 versal of Route by Migratory Birds^ — Erroneous Interpretation 

 of the Facts — The True Explanation— Duration of Autumn 

 Migration — Vertical Migration in Autumn — Order of Migra- 

 tion — Table indicating the Autumn Migration of Birds across 

 the British Islands. 



The Spring Migration of birds across the British 

 Islands has scarcely ceased, before signs of the autumn 

 passage are visible. The Autumn Migration of birds 

 from, to, and across the British Archipelago is even 

 more interesting than the movement which is charac- 

 teristic of the spring. Autumn migration is more pal- 

 pable because the individuals engaged in it are so much 

 more numerous, the old birds being accompanied by 



