42 BIRD HAUNTS AND NATURE MEMORIES 



in summer to visitors from Cleethorpes, but in autumn 

 cut off from all but business connection. The fine light- 

 house, whose powerful " mantle " light throws a white 

 beam every few seconds upon the Kilnsea houses, three 

 miles distant, has its keepers, the signal station its 

 watchers and workers. Ten cottages house the resident 

 lifeboat crew and families, men who add to their retaining 

 fees by crab- fishing. Two coastguards are stationed 

 there, or were a few years ago ; a publican provides for the 

 needs of the thirsty, and a schoolmaster attends to the 

 upbringing of the youth of the little colony, for the 

 nearest school is at Easington, beyond Kilnsea. There 

 is a post office and telegraph station, from which the wires 

 run along the ridge; at intervals beneath these wires in 

 autumn lie the bodies of many migratory birds; for in 

 their incoming flight on dark or misty nights the deadly 

 wires take frequent toll. Traders' carts follow no regular 

 route on their journey to the Head; they must adapt 

 themselves to the height and state of the tide. At low 

 tide they travel across the " clays " or even on the firm 

 seaward beach, but often they are driven on to rough 

 pebbles, and at the end of the journey through deep- 

 rutted, shifting sandy tracks amongst the dunes. 



For many weeks in autumn the fields round Kilnsea, 

 the ridge of Spurn, and the Humber clays are the feeding- 

 ground and resting-place for an innumerable army of 

 migratory birds. Southbound summer visitors converge 

 upon the narrow neck, whilst others reach it by following 

 the coast from further north; by far the greatest number 

 come from oversea, landing from northern Europe at or a 

 little north of Spurn, where they often halt, as at a hostelry, 

 before continuing the journey. In early October the 

 rough coast-fields were white with the seeding heads of 

 sea-aster, and in September the show of this maritime 

 Michaelmas daisy was a sight for the gods; on either side 



