observed at the Kentish Knock Lightship. 1 19 



to cover the entire coast-line between the Humber and the 

 Straits of Dover. 



On arriving on our shores many of these immigrants proceed 

 inland and settle down for the winter, while others traverse 

 the south coast and cross St. George's Channel to winter in 

 Ireland; others, again, cross the English Channel en route 

 for Southern Europe. 



Owing, perhaps, to the unexpected spell of summer weather 

 that characterised the latter half of September and to the high 

 and uniform temperatures which prevailed then and dining 

 the first week of October, the east to west movements of the 

 autumn of 1903 were very slightly in evidence in the earlier 

 days of my residence on the lightship. During the period 

 indicated only a few Skylarks, Tree-Sparrows, Swallows, 

 Meadow-Pipits, and single Starlings were seen. The night 

 movements of Waders and other Limicoline species, how- 

 ever, appeared to be of more importance ; but, alas ! only 

 the notes of Ring-Plovers and Lapwings could be identified 

 among the many voices that reached me as the migrants sped 

 westwards under the cover of darkness. 



The first extensive movement immediately followed a 

 decided fall in temperature on the Continent. This com- 

 menced at 9 a.m. on October 8th, and from that hour until 

 2 p.m. Hock after flock of Skylarks and Chaffinches and small 

 parties of Tree-Sparrows and Meadow-Pipits followed each 

 other in rapid succession. Starlings, which had hitherto only 

 been noted singly, also passed in small troops. It was an 

 important morning for E. to W. migration, and not only did 

 hundreds of birds pass quite close to the ship, but far greater 

 numbers, in fact many thousands, were observed pursuing a 

 like course at distances too great to render their identifica- 

 tion certain, especially amid the dull weather and heavy rain 

 which prevailed, and from the fact that all were flying close 

 to the surface of the sea. 



On October 10th there was another considerable fall in 

 temperature, and our thermometer registered 10° lower than 

 on any previous occasion sinee my residence on the light- 

 ship ; this was followed on the 11th by the greatest diurnal 



