THE PERILS OF MIGRATION 105 



caught, but 30 miles from land, by a violent 

 ' norther." Other similar sudden disasters have 

 been recorded off our British coasts, even so far back 

 as 1786, when, as quoted by Southwell, a Newcastle 

 collier passed through water off the Suffolk shores 

 black with vast numbers of drowned woodcocks. 



During normal migration birds may be brought to 

 a lower elevation by strong contra^ winds, or they 

 may be bewildered by fogs and cloud and dropped 

 nearer the surface ; it is then that the travellers 

 meet with disaster at our coastwise lights. 



Mr Tomison records some of his experiences of 

 migration at Skerry vore (52). He never saw a bird 

 at the windows when the moon was shining, and on 

 clear nights the passing crowds go on without a 

 pause. But on haz}^ nights, with an easterly wind 

 and drizzle, or during fogs, if large numbers of 

 migrants are passing, hundreds may be seen flying 

 in all directions, " all seemingly of the opinion 

 that the only way of escape out of the confusion 

 is through the windows of the lantern." On one 

 September night, when he was standing on the 

 balcony, he likens the appearance of the birds to a 

 heavy fall of snow. ' ' Thousands were flitting about ; 

 hundreds were striking against the dome and 

 windows ; hundreds were sitting dazed and stupid 

 on the trimming paths ; and scores falling to the 

 rocks below, some instantaneously killed, others 



