METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS 99 



respectively by the terms ' Creeper- up ' l and 'Discharger' 2 or 

 ' Shooter-out.' Had these designations not been called into 

 existence by the former frequent occurrences of the phenomena to 

 which they relate, they would certainly never have been originated 

 within the last thirty years, for the simple reason that the causes 

 which gave rise to them no longer exist. Nowadays, in fact, 

 these phenomena proceed in a markedly different manner. In a 

 close and heavy atmosphere, with a downfall of rain, a west >vind 

 veering round to south with increasing violence, in the manner 

 described above, is at present no longer followed by a strange, 

 uncanny calm and a sudden hurricane from the north-west, 

 but gradually moderates and veers back to its former westerly 

 direction. 



With all these meteorological processes, the appearance of birds, 

 on this island at least, is without question most intimately con- 

 nected. Accordingly, when some of our gunners come to me 

 occasionally and complain of the hopeless and unendurable state 

 of the snipe-shooting, I am in the habit of returning them what 

 may seem a jocular answer, but is nevertheless meant in full 

 earnest : ' Only wait till Sandy Island begins to lose on the north 

 side again, then you '11 get more Snipe.' Such among them as are 

 careful observers will then at once agree with me, well knowing 

 that, during the last thirty years, days favourable for migration, 

 both in autumn and spring, have been among the rare exceptions. 



1 German, ' aufkriechen ' = ' to creep up.' 



2 German, ' ausschiessen ' = ' to discharge, shoot out.' 



