Migration in War-time 



were wont to conceal themselves from their 

 unsuspecting prey (Country Life, i.ii.ig). 

 Italian " sportsmen " are apt to kill any bird ; 

 her professional bird-catchers, in their "roc- 

 colo " decoys, take thousands of LINNETS 

 and insectivorous birds as they enter the 

 funnel of Italy on their annual emigration to 

 Africa. These men being otherwise engaged, 

 Europe may have benefited by having more 

 birds and less insect pests in consequence 

 (Manchester Guardian, 10 . vii .16). All things 

 considered, I think, however, that I am 

 justified in saying that there is at present no 

 definite proof that the course of migration was 

 seriously affected by the War. 



An airman, who must have been an enthusi- 

 astic student of migration, made observations 

 regarding the height at which he met with 

 birds when in the air : SWALLOWS, he found, 

 preferred an altitude of 2,000 ft. ; WILD 

 DUCK, 5,000 ft. ; and flocks of PLOVER were 

 encountered at 6,500 ft. (Pall Mall Gazette, 

 ii.xi.i6). Pilots and men in observation 

 balloons agreed that they rarely saw birds 

 at a height of more than 3,000 feet ; but a 



