2/8 BIRD-LIFE IN A SOUTHERN COUNTY. 



reach that locality by an inland route up the 

 Dart and Teign valleys, and that the Exmouth 

 birds come direct in from the sea. The average 

 date of arrival of both birds in our extreme southern 

 localities is quite in accord with that of their 

 appearance farther north. We feel compelled to 

 warn the student of migration against such hasty 

 and erroneous deductions, put forward with 

 authority in a work that aspires to be a standard 

 one on the subject of bird-life in the county. 



In Devonshire migration is much less marked 

 in spring than in autumn, as is the case in all 

 other localities, although perhaps not to such a 

 great extent as farther north and east. In the 

 first place, it is always more difficult to note the 

 departure of a migratory species than to observe 

 its arrival ; and in the second place, the birds that 

 leave us or visit us at that season are fewer than 

 in autumn. The first sign of migratory move- 

 ment in the county may be said to be apparent 

 in February, with the departure of such species as 

 have visited this area from the north-east during 

 the preceding autumn. The next important 

 feature of spring migration is the departure of 

 those birds that only winter in the district, such 



