observed at the Kentish Knock Lightship. 133 



facts as these, apart from many others, afford, I think, 

 conclusive evidence that birds are endowed with a sense of 

 direction which, under ordinary circumstances, seldom fails 

 them. 



The speed at which birds fly while actually on migration 

 is another moot point on which I was able to obtain some 

 information at this remote station in the North Sea. 

 Speaking generally, the migrants pursued their way at the 

 steady rate characteristic of their respective species. There 

 was no hurry, but at the same time there was a business-like 

 manner about them which was in keeping with the important 

 event on hand. Certain species habitually fly faster than 

 others : thus the flight of the Meadow- Pipit was slower 

 than that of the other species observed ; that of the Skylarks, 

 Chaffinches, Wagtails, and others was decidedly faster ; 

 while that of the Starlings, Martins, and Swallows was the 

 speediest of all. 



1 had an excellent opportunity for roughly gauging the 

 speed of both Skylarks and Starlings on the 18th of October 

 from the bridge of the ' Irene/ while running parallel with and 

 in the same direction as the flight of these species. Flock 

 after flock flitted alongside of the ship, and at my request 

 the captain ascertained from the engine-room the precise 

 number of revolutions our twin-screws were making per 

 minute, which gave a speed of exactly eleven knots (12"6 

 miles) an hour. At this speed the Skylarks passed us with 

 the greatest ease, and, as near as it was possible to estimate, 

 were proceeding as fast again as the ship, or at a rate of 

 about 25 miles an hour, but certainly not more. It was more 

 difficult to say what the speed of the Starlings was, but they 

 were travelling at least half as fast again as the Larks, and 

 therefore at not less than from 35 to 40 miles an hour. 



I was much struck with the small number of essentially 

 marine birds that came under my notice at this pelagic station. 

 The only Gulls that were fairly numerous were the Lesser 

 Black-backed and the Kittiwake. The Great Black-backed 



