Remarks upon the Migration of Birds. 533 



the abundant flights of migratory birds which are yearly observed in 

 Cornwall at the period of the autumnal movement include many species 

 that nest rather on the eastern side of England, and certainly do not 

 breed in Cornwall, e.g. nightingale, reed wren, lesser whitethroat, 

 &c. ; and it is evident that these birds have no intention of crossing 

 the channel at its narrowest point. Other examples of a short journey 

 from East to West will be found in the tree sparrow, stock dove and 

 Norfolk plover that are seen in the West of England in winter only. 



Various birds which visit the Land's End in spring, as the Kentish 

 plover, white and gray-headed wagtails, purple heron,* &c., do not go 

 far North in England, and so must be advancing in an easterly direc- 

 tion along the south coast, following at this season a reverse course to 

 that of the autumn. 



In Ireland the redstart (probably not the black only) and the crested 

 lark have been obtained in winter; and the blackcap and Norfolk 

 plover are better known in the sister island as winter than summer 

 visitors. I have myself seen a wheatear upon the banks of the Royal 

 Canal in the month of December. The hoopoe has more than once 

 been killed in February, and many of the scarcest occasional visitors 

 to Ireland, as well as Great Britain, have been met with during the 

 autumn and winter months : as examples, the spotted eagle, griffon 

 vulture, spoonbill, avocet, blackwinged stilt, ibis, whiskered and black 

 terns may be quoted; to which perhaps might be added White's 

 thrush and the Sabine's snipe (if a good species), and the two African 

 birds, spotted cuckoo and goldvented thrush, both obtained in winter. 

 Nor are the instances in which some of these birds have been noticed 

 in the spring or summer sufficient to invalidate those above quoted, 

 since it is only here wished to prove the occasional occurrence in Great 

 Britain, during late autumn and winter, of species that come from the 

 South-east and East ; and we need not be surprised to find birds from 

 any quarter visiting us at either of the periods of the general migratory 

 movement, it being well known that a few species have, both in spring 

 and autumn, wandered to our shores from America f as well as Africa. 



But indeed when we consider the differences presented by the 

 remarkable contrast between the climates termed "maritime" and 

 "continental" by geographers, the former being distinguished by its 

 mild temperature in winter, and more favourable from the moisture of 

 its air to a continuance of insect-life at that season, while the conti- 

 tinental is equally rigorous, why should not birds by instict be aware 

 of these differences ? 



The recent occurrence in Sussex of Sylvia galactotes, a bird of quite 

 southern distribution on the Continent, sufficiently shows that the line 



* This bird has also frequently visited England in winter. 



t At least eight Insessorial and nine Grallatorial birds have crossed the 

 Atlantic ; and, if we may trust all the notices, three species of woodpeckers, 

 which, like the belted kingfisher, are not generally credited with enduring powers 

 of flight. 



