THE SIBERIAN MIGRATION. 20$ 



the new surroundings had remained, and as if the rest 

 had died out or were gradually retreating to the 

 east. 



Ornithologists are well acquainted with the fact 

 that in some years there is an unusually large exodus 

 from Eastern Europe and Siberia of birds; and that 

 species like the Waxwing (Ampelis garrulus) then 

 appear in great numbers. But the appearance of this 

 bird in Western Europe is not looked upon as so 

 remarkable as that of Pallas's Sandgrouse (Syrrhaptes 

 paradoxus, Fig. 3, p. 42), a typical inhabitant and resi- 

 dent of the Arctic Steppes. The last great irruption 

 took place in 1888, and many birds reached even the 

 extreme west of Ireland in May and June of that 

 year. A few weeks before, it had been announced to 

 the German papers that large flocks of this peculiar 

 pigeon-like bird had arrived in the eastern provinces; 

 and though the vast majority vanished as quickly as 

 they had come, a certain number remained for a year 

 or so in the newly visited countries, and some even 

 bred in England. 



Twenty-five years before, in 1863, a similar migra- 

 tion had occurred, though not perhaps on quite such 

 a vast scale, and a few small flocks had made their 

 appearance in Western Europe on several occasions 

 between these dates. 



It may not be generally known that no other bird 

 has been honoured by our Government in a like 

 manner, for it is the only animal for whose protec- 

 tion a separate Act of Parliament has been passed. 



