VOL. xiii.J THE BIRDS OF BARDSEY ISLAND. 181 



they were crossing the island in a southerly or south-easterly 

 direction. On the 4th a party of six or eight crossed the 

 southern end of the island in the early morning, coming from 

 the south-west and leaving to the east-south-east. No 

 Swallows were seen on the next two days, but on the 7th two 

 were seen, which were flying along, what was afterwards found 

 to be the usual route of this species, and which is the same as 

 that used by the Meadow-Pipit (q.v.). From the movements 

 of this species, those of the Swallow onl}^ differ in that the 

 birds are more numerous ; and so when at its heaviest, as on 

 September 19th, the passage develops into a regular stream, 

 and the area of arrival seems to be a wider one, so that birds 

 make the land all down the west coast and converge fanwise 

 towards the southern shoulder of the mountain. Thus they 

 arrive from the N.W. or W.N.W., those making the land at 

 the northern end of the island cross the cultivation and 

 follow round the curve of the western slope of the mountain ; 

 those landing farther south cross the cultivation in a more 

 or less due easterly direction ; while those coming in towards 

 the southern end, head more and more to the north of east, 

 so that there is a regular concentration of the stream over 

 the southern shoulder, over which they all leave the island 

 on the aforementioned Pipit route. The passage takes place 

 in the early morning, up to 9.30 or 10 a.m., and the birds 

 as a rule travel in small parties, which, when the movement is 

 at its maximum, blend into a continuous stream. 



On the 8th some twenty or five and twenty birds followed 

 this route, on the loth a dozen, on the nth detached parties 

 were passing up to 9 a.m. ; on the 12th the movement was 

 resumed in greater numbers and lasted till 8.30 a.m. There 

 were no movements on the 13th and 14th. Only a single 

 bird passed, going south-west, on the 15th. On the i6th, 

 when there was a large Pipit migration, not a single Swallow 

 was seen. On the 17th about a dozen passed between 8.30 

 and 9 a.m. A very few came in at the southern point of 

 the island on the i8th between 9 and 10 a.m. and followed 

 the Pipit route up the east coast. On the 19th birds were 

 passing in a continuous stream, as already described, from 

 early morning to 11 a.m. Those that arrived at the southern 

 point, came in low over the waves from a point a little to the 

 north of west, rose to cross the low promontory, and sinking 

 again on the other side, swung at the same time to the north, 

 so that they left on a course a few points to the north of east. 

 Curiously enough, during the whole time of this big movement, 

 the mainland towards which the birds were heading weis 



