CHAP. xx. SHORE-LARKS. 257 



twice or thrice a day, spending most of the rest of the time 

 in Mr. Gatke's studio, chatting about his birds, visiting 

 regularly Aeuckens, the bird-stuffer; to inquire if anyone 

 else had had better luck. On the llth of October I shot 

 three shore-larks. Aeuckens told me that the appearance of 

 this Arctic species was a very good sign, that he had often 

 noticed that a few birds always preceded the favourable weather, 

 and that we might soon expect a change and plenty of birds. 

 The next day the west winds which had prevailed for a week 

 slackened a little. In the afternoon it was a calm, with a ris- 

 ing barometer ; in the evening a breeze was already springing 

 up from the south-east. I called upon Gatke, who advised 

 me to go to bed, and be up before sunrise in the morning, 

 as in all probability I should find the island swarming with 

 birds. Accordingly I turned in soon after ten. At half- 

 past twelve I was awoke with the news that the migration 

 had already begun. Hastily dressing myself, I at once made 

 for the lighthouse. The night was almost pitch dark, but 

 the town was all astir. In every street men with large 

 lanterns and a sort of angler's landing-net were making for 

 the lighthouse. As I crossed the potato-fields birds were 

 continually getting up at my feet. Arrived at the light- 

 house, an intensely interesting sight presented itself. The 

 whole of the zone of light within range of the mirrors 

 was alive with birds coming and going. Nothing else was 

 visible in the darkness of the night but the lantern of the 

 lighthouse vignetted in a drifting sea of birds. From the 

 darkness in the east, clouds of birds were continually emerg- 

 ing in an uninterrupted stream ; a few swerved from their 



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