234 MIGRATION OF THE ROBIN 



Dr. Patten remarks: 'The birds were not captured, 

 and so these occurrences cannot carry the same weight 

 that they would had the specimens been secured and 

 forwarded for corroboration.' Cannot they ? Are we 

 then to dismiss as untrustworthy Mr. Eagle Clarke's 

 statement that on 10th November 1888 fifty or sixty 

 robins were at the lantern of the Kentish Knock 

 Lightship from 2 A.M. till daylight, when they were 

 allowed to resume their journey unmolested ? It is 

 impossible for any ordinary lover of nature not to be 

 moved to indignation by Dr. Patten's cold-blooded 

 procedure. Here is an example supplied by himself: 



'On Thursday night, September 12, 1912, at 1(HO o'clock, 

 a robin came slowly up to the lantern, and, as it fluttered 

 down the glass, I collected it. ... Two days later, on 

 September 14, 1912, I observed a robin on the rock at 

 9-30 A.M. It was tame, rather fatigued, and easily collected. 

 . . . Two nights later, September 16, 1912, at 1M5 P.M., I 

 collected a robin which came in quietly and fluttered down 

 the lantern. Just then chiff-chaffs appeared in considerable 

 numbers, ano^ I collected specimens of them immediately 

 before and after I secured the robin.' 



What a tale of blood ! I submit respectfully that 

 this sort of work brings science into disrepute. It has 

 been the cause of several persons the present writer 

 included resigning membership of the British Orni- 

 thological Union, a body which has done so much 

 excellent work in the past, but which does little or 

 nothing to stay the ruthless hand of the collector. 

 Why, instead of ' collecting ' his victims, could not Dr. 

 Patten be content to release them, after ascertaining 



