.192 



HYBERNATION. 





Auks. 



Summer 

 resort of 

 our winter 

 birds. 



Snow bun- 

 ting. 



Woodcock. 



While these birds perform those extensive migra- 

 tions which we have here mentioned, others are con- 

 tented with shorter journies. Thus the razor-billed 

 auk (Alca torda) and the puliin (Alca arclica) frequent 

 the coast of Andalusia during the winter season, and 

 return to us in the spring. 



These facts, and many others of a similar nature, 

 which might have been stated, enable us to draw the 

 conclusion, that our summer birds of passage come to 

 us from southern countries, and after all the purposes 

 of incubation are accomplished, return again to milder 

 regions. A few of our summer visitants may winter in 

 Spain or Portugal ; but it appears that in general they 

 i!iigrate to Africa, that unknown country, possessing 

 (MTV variety of surface, and consequently great diver- 

 sity of climate. It is true that we are unacquainted 

 with the winter retreats of many of our summer birds 

 of passage, particularly of many small birds ; but as 

 those arrive and depart under similar circumstances 

 with those whose migrations are ascertained, and as the 

 operations which they perform during their residence 

 with us are also similar, we have a right to conclude, 

 that they are subject to the same laws, and execute the 

 same movements. What gives weight to this opinion, 

 is the absence of all proof of a summer bird of passage 

 retiring to the north during the winter season. 



In proof of the accuracy of the preceding conclusion, 

 we may observe, that it is a fact generally acknow- 

 ledged, that the summer birds of passage visit the 

 southern parts of the country a few days, or even weeks, 

 before they make their appearance in the northern dis- 

 tricts. Thus the common swallow (Hirundo ruslica) 

 appears in Sussex about the beginning of the third 

 week of April ; while in the neighbourhood of Edin- 

 burgh it is seldom seen before the first of May. The 

 cuckoo appears in the same district about the last week 

 of April ; in Edinburgh seldom before the second week 

 of May. The reverse of this holds true with these 

 summer visitants at their departure. Thus dotter- 

 els ( Ckara&rius morinellvs ) forsake the Grampians 

 about the beginning of August, and Scotland by the 

 end of that month ; while they return to England in 

 September, and remain there even until November. A 

 difference of nearly a month takes place between the 

 departure of the goatsucker (Caprimulgus Europeans) 

 from Scotland and from the south of England. 



Having thus ascertained the winter haunts of our 

 summer birds of passage, let us now endeavour to find 

 eut the summer retreat of our winter visitants. The 

 conclusions which we have already established dispose 

 us to look for these birds in countries situated to the 

 northward. And as we are much better acquainted 

 with the ornithology of those countries than of Africa, 

 it \vill be in our power to prosecute our researches with 

 greater certainty of success. 



The snow bunting, ( Emlieriza niva/li), which is among 

 the smallest of our winter guests, retires to the hoary 

 mountains of Spitsbergen, Greenland, and Lapland, 

 and there performs the purposes of incubation, making 

 its nest in the fissures of the rocks. In these countries 

 it is therefore a summer visitant, as it retires south- 

 wards in autumn, to spend the winter in more tempe- 

 rate regions. To the sea coasts of the same regions 

 the little auk (Alca atlc), and the black-billed auk 

 (Alca pic ft], repair for similar purposes as the snow- 

 flake. The woodcock winters with us, but retires in 

 the spring to Sweden, Norway, and Lapland. Eck- 

 mark says of this bird, as a Swedish summer bird of 



passage, " Fullis in sylvis nostris exclusis, mare trans- Animal 

 inigrans, in Angliam avolat ; ut ex Austria in Italian). 

 Vere autem novo, dum blatire incipit Tetrao tetrix, il- 

 line descedunt, matrimouio junctte ad nos revertentes." 

 The fieldfare and the redwing resemble the woodcock 

 in their migrations, depart at the same season, and re- 

 tire for similar purjx>ses to the same countries. 



These instances may suffice to support the conclu- 

 sion, that all our winter birds of passage come from 

 northern countries, and that the winter visitants of the 

 south of Europe become the summer visitants of its 

 northern regions. This is evidently an arrangement 

 depending on the same law by which the African win- 

 ter birds of passage are summer birds of passage in 

 Europe. 



In support of this conclusion it may be mentioned, 

 that, in their progress southward, the winter birds of 

 passage appear first in the northern and eastern parts 

 of the island, and gradually proceed to the southward 

 and westward. Thus the snow-bunting arrives in the 

 Orkney islands about the end of August, and often 

 proves destructive to the corn fields. It then passes 

 into the mainland of Scotland, and is seldom seen in 

 the Lothians, even in the high grounds, before Novem- 

 ber. In like manner, the woodcock, which crosses the 

 German Ocean, is first observed on the eastern side of 

 the island, and then by degrees disperses towards the 

 west. 



Having now ascertained the period and the direction Mode of 

 of these migrations, let us next attend to the act of migration, 

 migration itself, and the circumstances attending the 

 flight. 



Migrating birds, before they take their departure, in 

 general collect together in flocks. This is very ob- 

 viously the case with the swallow, and is even still bet- 

 ter known with woodcocks. These last arrive in this 

 country in great flocks about the same time ; and 

 should adverse winds occur at the period of their de- 

 parture, they accumulate in such numbers on the east- 

 ern shores, as to furnish the fowler with excellent sport. 

 Geese too, during their migratory flights, always keep 

 in company ; and the picture which the poet draws of 

 the movements of the crane is equally just when ap- 

 plied to them, only we do not vouch for the truth of 

 their geometrical precision, and their knowledge of the 

 power of the wedge. 



-In figure wedge their way, 



Intelligent of seasons ; and set forth 



Their airy caravan, high over seas 



Flying, and over lands : so steers the prudent crane 



Her annual voyage, borne on winds : the air 



Floats as they pass, fanu'd with unnumbered plumes. 



MILTON. 



But there are many migrating birds which have 

 never been observed to congregate previous to their 

 departure. Thus the cuckoo, seldom seen in company 

 with his mate even during the breeding season, is to 

 all appearance equally solitary at the period of migra- 

 tion. These birds are supposed by naturalists to go 

 off in succession. 



It is certainly a very curious, and perhaps unexpect- 

 ed occurrence, that the males of many species of mi- 

 grating birds appear to perform their migrations a few 

 days before the females. This b remarkably the case 

 with the nightingale. The bird catchers in the neigh- 

 bourhood of London obtain only males on the first ar 



