H. LYNES: MIGRATION OF BIRDS. 147 



us from the Malta-Sicily route by some three hundred 

 miles. The birds must have come from the African 

 coast, perhaps even so far to the eastward as Egypt, but 

 that is merely a surmise. 



Now, the north-westerly swell was certainly not the 

 result of a wind that had existed near those longitudes 

 during the past twenty-four hours at least, for it was not 

 of such a nature, and we should also have had something 

 of it at Crete, which we did not ; therefore, it may be 

 accepted that at no time of their flight since their 

 departure from the African coast had these migrants been 

 subjected to adverse winds, consequently nothing remains 

 but the rain to explain the whole phenomenon. 



The time of day is worthy of note ; as will be seen, it 

 agrees with our observations as to time of arrival of 

 migrants on the north coast of the island of Crete. 



I have often looked out and wondered why one does 

 not see dead birds which have met their death in crossing 

 the Mediterranean floating about in the sea, but, of course, 

 they would be very inconspicuous objects. 



On June 7th, 1906, a date on which there would be 

 little or no migration in progress, in the Straits of 

 Gibraltar the ship became enveloped in a terrific thunder- 

 storm, that lasted for half an hour, during which time 

 we could not see more than a hundred yards around us. 

 There was no wind. A Turtle-Dove came on board, as 

 absolutely soaked as if it had been held under a tap, 

 and a bedraggled Reed- Warbler (or, possibly, a Hyjwlais — 

 I only got a hasty glimpse) also took refuge in the rigging. 



At the same time quantities of oleander hawk-moths 

 were apparently being borne down from some higher 

 atmospheric stratum, and many could be seen floating 

 in the sea. I looked out for dead birds as well, but saw 

 none, though could not help thinking that had the storm 

 occurred during migration time we should have seen some, 

 in spite of its being so close to land on either side. 



Off the north coast of China in summer it is a common 

 occurrence to see immense migratory streams of dragon- 



