1 88 Alexander Goodman More. [1866 



had never met until this evening, but a spontaneous friend- 

 ship at once sprang up between them, and throughout life 

 their feelings towards one another were those of the 

 warmest attachment. 



At the same meeting there occurred a discussion on 

 his pet subject, the Migration of Birds, in which he took 

 part, chiefly to urge the need of more systematic observa- 

 vations. " Saunders' News-letter " gives the following 

 summary of his remarks : 



Mr. A. G. More said that this class of observation is one which has 

 not yet been reduced to any system. As regards the direction of the 

 flight of birds, and the influence of climate and prevailing winds, some- 

 thing maybe done by registering the lines of simultaneous flight, if a 

 sufficient number of good observers can be found As to the causes 

 which influence migration, there seems to be this difference between the 

 spring and the autumnal movement, that in the spring the impulse 

 comes from within, being simultaneous with the vernal change of 

 plumage, and is found to be comparatively more sudden and irresistible, 

 so that the birds appear to take a more direct road towards their summer 

 quarters, and when detained captive during the spring they have been 

 known to die from the ungratified desire to migrate. On the other 

 hand, in autumn the impulse comes from without, as the birds may be 

 said to retire under the pressure of external circumstances, and, as 

 might be expected, they seem to travel more slowly at this season than 

 in spring, being gradually driven out by the inclemency of the weather, 

 or a want of food, and this before the change to the winter plumage is 

 completed. This may serve to explain the fact that many birds are 

 observed to follow a different line of flight at the two seasons : if it be 

 supposed that in spring they take a more direct road towards their 

 breeding-quarters, while in autumn they are found to linger by the way, 

 and often follow the course of valleys, rivers, or coasts. Another point 

 to be noticed is the greater regularity of arrival in spring, when most 

 birds keep pretty nearly to the same date, and are found on arrival 

 nearly fully attired in the summer plumage, whereas they return in 

 autumn with less punctuality, and often long before the winter plumage 

 is assumed. 



Soon however he saw an opportunity of returning to 

 the "meat diet" on a more extensive scale. On March 

 7th he wrote his congratulations to Mr. Newton, who had 

 just been elected Professor of Zoology and Comparative 

 Anatomy at Cambridge, and in doing so mentioned his 

 own intended candidature for the office of " first assistant 

 naturalist " in the Royal Dublin Society's Museum. 



