382 Lieut.-Col. 11. Meinertzhagen on [Ibis, 



confined winter-quarters was originally evolved in its 

 present winter-quarters, which retains the hereditary at- 

 traction due to the love of a bird for its old home. In this 

 and in other ways geographical distribution, when closely 

 studied, will be found to be most suggestive of a bird's past 

 migratory history. 



In this connection it is interesting to note that, though a 

 particular form of bird chooses for its winter-quarters an 

 infinite variety of climate, in most cases the breeding- 

 quarters in the breeding-season show no great variation of 

 climate, though these may cover a vast latitudinal area. 



The much-debated question of trinomials is outside the 

 scope of this paper. The value, however, of subspecies to 

 the student of migration is immense, and the more a species 

 can be split into geographical forms the easier becomes its 

 migration problem and the determination of its correct 

 geographical distribution. Throughout the southern part of 

 the Palsearctic Region we frequently find more than one 

 form of a single species wintering in the same area, and 

 with the help of subspecific difilierences, however small or 

 distasteful to the conservative binomial ornithologist, we can 

 at once recognize the breeding-area of the bird in question 

 and its probable migration-route, provided we have reliable 

 information regarding its geographical distribution. 



Geographical distribution includes, in the case o£ 

 migratory birds, the breeding-area, the winter-quarters, and 

 the routes of migration connecting these areas in spring and 

 autumn. Very few species in the Pakearctic Region can be 

 classified as true residents throughout all seasons, though 

 many might appear to fulfil the conditions of a resident 

 species until their movements are closely studied. A dis- 

 regard of the importance of a species' distribution at all 

 seasons has largely discounted the value of many ornitholo- 

 gical works and papers, for the mere mention of a species 

 occurring at a certain locality, without date or further 

 detail, does not really advance our knowledge of the geo- 

 graphical distribution of that species, but rather confuses it 

 and encourages misleading deductions. 



