Miscellaneous. 143 



mainly from about the latitude of 45° (the line of greatest intensity 

 of the winds), the first land they can make is that of England, 

 whence the fact that most of the species have occurred in the British 

 islands, as well as Heligoland, equally well fitted to attract stragglers 

 and furnish them a resting-place. It is probable that, apart from 

 their few permanent residents, the Bermudas are supplied in the 

 same manner. 



Iceland being in the latitude of the reverse current, from east to 

 west, such of its species as are caught up by the winds and carried 

 off would soon reach Greenland, only a few hundred miles distant. 

 This may be the principal agency of supply from Europe to Green- 

 land, as most European land birds are only met with there at rare 

 intervals ; although, as Greenland lies north of Iceland, there may 

 be a regular migration to some extent. 



As remarked, the prevailing direction of the winds, whether vio- 

 lent or moderate, throughout the year as well as during the period 

 in which our birds are on either their spring or autumnal migration, 

 is from America towards Europe. Even should their direction be 

 reversed, and that rare phenomenon, a summer "north-easter," 

 occur, it would merely have the effect of bringing the birds back 

 upon our own coast, or into the interior, the line of the storm being, 

 in fact, about parallel with the eastern shore line of the United States, 

 and its influence extending only a short distance from the coast, and not 

 involving the vicinity of Europe at all. That such storms do affect 

 the movements of our birds is shown in the case of the golden 

 plover. It is well known that this species breeds in immense num- 

 bers in the northern regions of America, and that the southward 

 migration, in summer or autumn, is principally confined to the 

 region along or near the Atlantic coast. Generally large flights 

 would seem to start directly from Newfoundland and Nova Scotia 

 for the West Indies, where they are met with every autumn passing 

 still southward into South America, and reaching almost to Pata- 

 gonia. Usually it is but a comparatively small number that touch 

 and rest along the Atlantic states ; but it is well known to the 

 sportsmen of New England that, should a violent north-east storm 

 occur off the coast towards the end of August, unusual flights of 

 plover and curlew may be looked for*. This was the case in 1863, 

 when the islands of Nantucket, Martha's Vineyard, and other locali- 

 ties along the coast of Massachusetts swarmed with incredible 

 flights of these birds. On similar occasions immense numbers have 

 been carried far into the interior of the Atlantic states, furnishing* 

 the occasion of a regular carnival for gunners, much as in the case of 

 great flights of the wild pigeon. 



Another instance of the influence of north-east storms is in the 

 occurrence of the Stormy Petrel (Mother Carey's Chickens) and 

 other oceanic birds far in the interior, and even across the Allegha- 

 nies, during and after such storms. The collections of the Smith- 



* Mr. G. N. Lawrence mentions (Annals New York Lyceum, 1864, viii. 

 100) that the golden plover is always found at Montauk Point on the 28th 

 of August, should a north-east storm occur. 



