400 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



birds or with very slight traces of immaturity. This immigra- 

 tion extended southward to the coast districts of Lincolnshire, 

 where considerable numbers were obtained in the autumn and 

 winter. 



At Eathlin O'Birne (West Donegal) immense flocks of birds — 

 Starlings, Thrushes, and Fieldfares — passed west from Dec. 18th 

 to 23rd. The nearest land to the west of this rocky island is 

 America. This is not an isolated occurrence. The westerly 

 flight of land-birds at stations off the west coast of Ireland has 

 been noticed on other occasions ; the movement is apparently as 

 reckless as that of the Lemmings. 



The autumnal passage of Quails from England is shown by 

 their occurrence at the Smalls Lighthouse, Sept. 3rd, and the 

 Eddystone on October 5th ; also a wing from the Shipwash light- 

 vessel, off" the Essex coast, obtained on October 26th. 



An enormous rush of immigrants is recorded from the east 

 coast of England on October 4th, 6th and 6th, with easterly and 

 south-easterly winds. On the west coast of Scotland, during the 

 same period, at the majority of stations the rush of birds was 

 enormous ; but the movement was much less accentuated on the 

 west coast of England, and to a less degree still on the Irish 

 coasts. 



As usual, on the east coast of England, Rooks, Daws, Hooded 

 Crows, Starlings, and Larks occupy a considerable portion of the 

 schedules. Chaffinches cross the North Sea in extraordinary 

 numbers ; they are always numerous, but last autumn the immi- 

 gration was in considerable excess of previous years. With these 

 exceptions, however, there was a marked falling off in the migra- 

 tion of some species whose breeding range lies chiefly in the north 

 of Europe — Fieldfares, Redwings, Ring Ouzels, Bramblings, Snow 

 Buntings, Short-eared Owls, and Woodcocks. 



Eight Reports having now been issued, it seems highly 

 desirable that an attempt should be made to analyse, classify, and 

 digest the large mass of facts brought together in these Reports, 

 so as to show the actual results which have been arrived at by 

 the inquiry. 



