4100 The Zoologist — August, 1874. 



The advantages likely to result from the constant repetition of 



such names as Rapae, Napi, Rhamni, Urticae, lo, Atalanta, Megaera, 



Janira, Phlaeas, Alexis, &c., in this and all similar lists, may very 



reasonably be called in question ; yet it is by no means desirable to . 



omit them, for such omission would itself seem a matter of interest, 



seeing that their absence from Norfolk would be far more remarkable 



than their presence, 



Edward Newman. 



Migrations of Spring Immigrants. By R. M. Barrington. 



I SEND you the dates on which a few well-known summer 

 migrants have arrived in this neighbourhood for some years past. 

 I regret that the record is not as perfect as I could wish ; but as 

 Irish observations are not plentiful these may prove acceptable. 



Looking at the dates above given, we see that the cuckoo and 

 corn crake make their appearance with tolerable regularity. The 

 swallow is apparently less regular. I refrain from making any 

 remarks on the other two birds until I have accumulated a few 

 more observations. 



On the migration of birds in general I venture a few words, 

 which, if not new, have at least the merit of being original. 

 Ornithologists who keep records of the departure and arrival of 

 migratory birds must in the course of time form opinions based on 

 the statistics which they have accumulated. All I would wish to 

 do here is to point out a few circumstances which should, I think, 

 qualify some of the results derived from such statistics. We say 

 that such and such a bird arrives in this country in April, but the 



* The earliest date, so far as I can discover, ever recorded in Ireland. — B. M. B. 



