MIGRATION IN THE PYRENEES 417 



on. Large flocks of skylarks passed every few minutes, 

 warbling to each other as they flew, and smaller flocks of 

 meadow pipits were almost as frequent. Now and then 

 we saw flocks of dunlins and a larger species of sandpiper 

 which looked like redshanks, and once a party of thirty 

 to forty cranes passed over, forming a line like the letter 

 V. Flocks of ducks perhaps more correctly described as 

 clouds of ducks, so numerous were these birds continued 

 to pass southwards until the middle of November. In 

 many places the farmers had put down flap-nets to catch 

 the smaller species, which were decoyed into them by 

 call -birds, and during the whole period of migration 

 birds of all kinds were brought every day to the market. 

 In early spring we were at Biarritz, and here again we 

 found migration going on apace; but the tide had turned, 

 and the birds were all going north. Early in March 

 small parties of skylarks, woodlarks, pied wagtails, white 

 wagtails, meadow pipits, and other birds were constantly 

 passing in succession, but only within a mile or two of 

 the coast. 



On the nth of March we ascended La Rhune, an 

 outlying mountain of the Pyrenees. Just as we reached 

 the col between the two peaks, we witnessed a most 

 interesting little episode of migration. A flock of birds 

 came up from the Spanish side, and passing over our 

 heads continued their northerly course. This flock 

 consisted of eight kites, a crane, and a peregrine falcon. 

 It was a curious assemblage, and we watched them 

 through our binoculars with great interest. 



All through the winter we found the chiffchaff very 

 common at Pau, but it never uttered its familiar note. 

 When we reached Biarritz it was equally common, and 

 quite as silent ; but on the 9th of March it began to chiff- 

 chaff lustily. On the i5th willow- warblers arrived in 



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