THE PERILS OF MIGRATION 105 



caught, but 30 miles from land, by a violent 

 " norther/' Other similar sudden disasters have 

 been recorded off our British coasts, even so far back 

 as 1786, when, as quoted by Southwell, a Newcastle 

 collier passed through water off the Suffolk shores 

 black with vast numbers of drowned woodcocks. 



During normal migration birds may be brought to 

 a lower elevation by strong contrary winds, or they 

 may be bewildered by fogs and cloud and dropped 

 nearer the surface ; it is then that the travellers 

 meet with disaster at our coastwise lights. 



Mr Tomison records some of his experiences of 

 migration at Skerry vore (52). He never saw a bird 

 at the windows when the moon was shining, and on 

 clear nights the passing crowds go on without a 

 pause. But on hazy nights, with an easterly wind 

 and drizzle, or during fogs, if large numbers of 

 migrants are passing, hundreds may be seen flying 

 in all directions, " all seemingly of the opinion 

 that the only way of escape out of the confusion 

 is through the windows of the lantern/' On one 

 September night, when he was standing on the 

 balcony, he likens the appearance of the birds to a 

 heavy fall of snow. ' ' Thousands were flitting about ; 

 hundreds were striking against the dome and 

 windows ; hundreds were sitting dazed and stupid 

 on the trimming paths ; and scores falling to the 

 rocks below, some instantaneously killed, others 



