ON THE MIGRATION OP BIRDS. 265 



in spring. To attempt to give numbers is simply useless. I will just 

 give you the names in succession : Fieldfares, Redwings, Ring Ouzels, 

 Blackbirds, Lapwings, Dotterels, Rock-pigeons, Hawk, Meadow Pipits, 

 Redstarts, Whinchats, Tree Sparrows, Yellow Wagtails, Ortolan (ob- 

 tained), Robins, Chiff-chaffs, Wood-warbler, Blackcap-warbler, Marsh 

 Tit, Whitethroats, and Pied Flycatchers.' And on the 4th : * Still 

 increasing in numbers, but wind shifted this morning to E. for S.B.' 



A noteworthy incident also of the vernal migration was the great 

 Tush of Wbeatears observed at the Bahama Bank vessel off the Isle of 

 Man, and at Langness on the night of April 13, when many perished and 

 were captured. On the same night Wheatears were killed at the Coning- 

 beg and Rathlin Island lighthouses, on the Irish coast On the I2th and 

 13th the rush was very heavy at stations on the west coast of Scotland, 

 ^o coi-respouding movement was observed on the east coast of Great 

 Britain on the same night; but at Hanois L. H., Guernsey, on the 10th of 

 May, at night at the north light, and on the Lincolnshire coast and Farn 

 Islands on the 10th and 11th. These entries are sufficient to show the 

 immense area covered by the migration of this species at or about the 

 same period. On the east coast of England the first Wheatears were 

 observed at the Farn Islands on February 22, 



The autumnal migration is first indicated at Heligoland on July 6, 

 and was continued with slight intermissions up to the end of the year. 

 A similar movement affected the whole of the east coast of Great Britain 

 during the same period, but was apparently less constant and persistent 

 ■than at Heligoland. 



It has been remarked in previous reports that the migration of a 

 species extends over many weeks, and in some cases is extended for 

 months. Yet it is observable that, at least on the east coast of England, 

 year by year, the bulk or main body of the birds come in two enormous 

 and almost continuous rushes during the second and third weeks in 

 October and the corresponding weeks in November. 



In the autumn of 1885 it is again observable that the chief general 

 movements which usually characterise the southward autumnal passage 

 were two in number, and affected the stations over the whole coast line 

 both east and west of Great Britain. The first of these commenced 

 about the 11th ot October, and was continued to the 20th. The second 

 from the 8th to the 12th of November. It is worthy of notice that these 

 two chief movements of the autumn were ushered in by and were con- 

 current with anti-cyclonic conditions, preceded by and ceasing with 

 cyclonic depressions, affectii\g, more or less, the whole of the British 

 isles. From this it appears not unlikely that birds await the approach 

 of favourable meteorological conditions, of which perhaps their more acute 

 senses give them timely warning to migrate in mass. Whatever may be the 

 cause which impels these enormous rushes, often continuous for days, it 

 is one which operates over an immense area at one and the same time. 



The October rush reached its maximum ou the 16th, at which date 

 almost all the stations report extraordinary numbers of various species 

 on the wing. As one out of many we quote from the journal of Mr. 

 James Jack, principal of the Bell Rock lighthouse : ' Birds began to 

 arrive at 7.30 p.m., striking lightly and flying off again ; numbers went 

 on increasing till midnight, when it seemed that a vast flock had arrived, 

 as they now swarmed in the rays of light, and, striking hard, fell dead on 

 balcony or rebounded into the sea. At 3 a.m. another flock seemed to 



