370 KEPORT— 1901. 



return to their former haunts ; but if the adverse conditions continue 

 and become general, the movement also becomes widespread and more 

 or less universal. This effect is especially produced by great snowstorms, 

 when the number of fugitives is so vast that people wonder where such 

 prodigious multitudes can come from, as they throng towards the coast 

 and particularly the milder south-west coast of England — Devon, Corn- 

 wall, and the Scilly Isles — though many undoubtedly cross the Channel, 

 and others proceed to Ireland. On the other hand, a few — and these are, 

 perhaps, of our native stock — attempt to brave the unfavourable condi- 

 tions, partly by resorting to unwonted places of shelter, especially the 

 sea-shore, but many, if not most, of them succumb to famine. In 

 Ireland, too, there are many winter movements, due to the pressure 

 of climatic conditions, and Cork and Kerry are especially resorted to 

 during hard weather ; but winter emigration must be regarded as ex- 

 ceptional in Ireland, for one portion or anotiier of its shores generally 

 affords an asylum in the severest seasons, tliough many birds perish, even 

 in its most favourable areas, during an abnormally pi'otracted winter. It 

 has already been stated that Ireland ordinarily receives numbers of 

 Skylarks in autumn, and being again sought by multitudes of refugees 

 from the snows and frosts of Great Britain, it follows that the Skylark 

 population of Ireland is at its maximum at a period when that of Great 

 Britain is at its lowest. 



During some severe winters in Central Europe there is a renewal of 

 the immigration of Skylai'ks (together with Stai-lings and Lapwings) 

 across the North Sea to the south-east coast. 



During these cold-weather movements many of the emigrants perish 

 at the lanterns of the Light-stations. Thus, on December 2, 1882, the 

 Bell Rock Lighthouse was visited by what is described as being the 

 greatest multitude of Skylarks ever known. It was impossible to estimate 

 the number, but they were ' striking hard for a couple of hours like a 

 shower of hail.' 



If the statement that the winter emigration depends wholly on the 

 state of the weather need any confirmation, it may be furnished by the 

 fact that in the mild seasons of 1881-82 and 1885-86 very little was 

 recorded. There are, however, usually spasmodic and partial movements 

 in November ; but it is not until cold weather sets in that any general 

 exodus takes place. If there has been much snow in December, as iix 

 1879 and 1882, there is little or no movement later in the season, because 

 the birds have already departed. On the other hand, after the un- 

 eventful December of 1880, there were pi'onounced emigrations in January 

 1881. In February there are, as a rule, movements more or less local, 

 and due to snow, and in that month of 1886, which was cold and snowy, 

 movement followed movement throughout its course. The March migra- 

 tions are not of much account, but in unusually inclement seasons, like 

 1883 and 1887, there were ' rushes ' to the coast as late as the 20th of 

 that month. ^ In other years there is little or nothing recorded for it. 



7. >Sprin[/ Immigration of Sununer Visitants and Return of Winter 

 Emigrants. — The return of the Skylarks which have left us during the 

 autumn and winter is observed on the southern coasts of both Great 

 Britain and Ireland early in the year, their arrival taking place as a rule 



' At the Nash Lighthouse, on the Glamorgan coast, on March 15, 1887, Skylarks, 

 Starlings, Snipes, Woodcocks, Lapwings, Golden Plovers, and Wild Ducks were seen 

 flying before heavy snow from 8 30 A.M. to o r.M. 



