256 THE BIRDS OF YORKSHIRE. 



casualties in one night often being very heavy.* Occasionally 

 the two distinct movements of our departing birds and the 

 immigrants may be observed simultaneously. It is remark- 

 able, as shewn by the returns from Light-stations communi- 

 cated to the Migration Committee, how frequently Larks are 

 associated on migration with Starlings, either in separate 

 flocks or together, the two species seem to be inseparable 

 in the autumn passage, usually taking a course from east to 

 west. 



These migrants do not stay long with us, but pass inland, 

 and probably move further southward in winter on the 

 approach of severe weather ; a day or two previous to any 

 great change in temperature they may be observed to 

 congregate and, on the outbreak of a storm, leave the district. 

 The occurrence of " rushes " is noticed annually, generally 

 during October or November; (on October 2i-23rd 1881, 

 there was an incessant day and night rush at Redcar), but 

 sometimes later, previous to the advent of sudden winter 

 storms, in December, or even in January and February, 

 and at times in astounding numbers. On December gth, 

 and following days, in 1878, with severe gales and snow- 

 storms, great flights passed Redcar from eastward, in company 

 with Redwings and Fieldfares ; and on February 8th 1902, 

 I witnessed an extraordinary migration, preceding a fortnight's 

 intensely hard frost. From early morning to dusk huge flocks 

 were, with slight intermission of a few minutes, flying in a 

 direction from almost due north, and, as there was no per- 

 ceptible increase in the numbers of birds in the fields and 

 marshes, they must have passed on without stopping. 



About the end of February, or in the first half of March, 



* On 6th November 1868, at Heligoland, 3400 Larks were captured 

 at the lantern, and 11,006 were taken in nets, making a total of 15,000. 

 Mr. W. Eagle Clarke states, in the British Association Report, 1901, 

 that the Bell Rock Lighthouse, on 2nd December 1882, was visited by 

 the greatest multitude of Larks ever known : " they were striking hard 

 for a couple of hours like a shower of hail." The student of migration 

 is referred to this, the most admirable and complete history of the 

 Skylark's movements which has ever been written. 



