A BIRDLQVER'S YEAR 



to embody such perfect grace with perpetual 

 motion. 



The common tern is also a latish arrival, 

 about the middle of April ; whilst the 

 dotterel's record is April 20. 



Besides the mighty stream of arriving 

 migrants, there is also the emigration of our 

 winter birds. Moving northward are to be 

 seen great numbers of song-thrushes, black- 

 birds, redbreasts, goldcrests, chaffinches, 

 buntings, redpolls, starlings, rooks, skylarks, 

 geese, wild-duck, woodcock, and various 

 other birds. Surely birds are famous 

 travellers, and the whole study of migration 

 a most fascinating one. Mr. Eagle Clarke, 

 who is probably the greatest living authority 

 on the subject, has given in his most fascina- 

 ting book, " Studies in Migration " (Edin- 

 burgh : Oliver and Boyd), all the records 

 of the year, as well as the theories which 

 account for these wonderful seasonal voyages. 

 He tells how, when watching at the Eddy- 

 stone Lighthouse on April 11 to 12, 1892, 

 he witnessed a mighty stream of migration 

 which took place between the hours of 

 8.45 P.M. and 11 P.M. : " At midnight 

 hundreds of ring-ouzels and redwings came 

 42 



