328 OUR SUMMER MIGRANTS. 



" The best site for watching the departure of 

 the vernal migration is at Tangier, where just 

 outside the town the well-known plain called 

 the Marshan, a high piece of ground that in 

 England would be called a common, seems to 

 be the starting-point of half the small birds 

 that visit Europe. 



" Both the vernal and autumnal migrations are 

 generally executed during an easterly wind, or 

 Levanter. At one time I thought that this was 

 essential to the passage ; but it appears not to 

 be the case, as whether it be an east or west 

 wind, if it be the time for migration, birds 

 will pass, though they linger longer on the 

 African coast before starting if the wind be 

 westerly ; and all the very large flights of 

 Rap tores (Kites, Neophrons, Honey- Buzzards, 

 &c.), which I have seen, passed with a Levanter. 

 After observing the passage for five springs, I 

 am unable to come to any decided opinion ; the 

 truth being, that as an east wind is the preva- 

 lent one, the idea has been started that migra- 

 tion always takes place during that wind. 



