ON BIRD MIGRATION. 279 



estuaries— and the southern counties generally, including the Scilly Isles, 

 which are annually resorted to from October onwards. Many, however, 

 remain during mild winters in suitable haunts in Northern Scotland, as 

 in the neighbourhood of the Beauly and Moray Firths, where the climatic 

 conditions are exceptionally favourable. The British October migrants 

 are observed on all sections of the coast, and the passage movements 

 southwards are no doubt augmented by the presence of immigrants from 

 Northern Europe. 



The movements during the first half of November are a continuation 

 of those of the previous month. By about the middle of the month the 

 birds have usually settled down for the winter, or until they are com- 

 pelled to move by the pressure of adverse weather and its effect on their 

 food-supplies. A small number remain in the Hebrides until the first 



onset of frost. 



Although a few records, both Scotch and Irish, point to some immigra- 

 tion into Ireland from Northern Britain in September, it is not until 

 October and November that such movements are regularly observed. The 

 main lines of intermigration lie between the Mull of Cantyre and the 

 Sol way, and the coasts of Antrim and Down ; while birds quitting or 

 traversing the Hebrides reach the shores of Donegal, some of them by 

 way of Tory Island. During October and November, too, there is some 

 evidence of the arrival of Lapwings in Ireland from the south-east by a 

 passage, chiefly observed during the daytime, across St. George's Channel 

 to the Wexford and adjacent coasts. Certain of the later November 

 immigrations from the north are associated with the setting in of more 

 or less severe weather in Scotland. 



The autumnal movements of the Lapwing are mainly undertaken 

 during the night, but it is only occasionally that the migrants strike the 

 lanterns of the lighthouses and lightships. Not a few are seen moving 

 during the daytime, while others are observed in the vicinity of the main- 

 land stations, or on islands, resting after their over-night flight. 



Autumn Immigration from North-v)estern Europe. — The autumn 

 immigration from Scandinavia ^ sets in during the first week of October 

 and lasts a little over a month. It is observed at stations from and 

 including Shetland to those on the northern section of the east coast of 

 England. No great arrivals covering extensive portions of the coast line 

 hav^e been recorded, as in the case of other species, but only scattered 

 records dealing with moderate numbers appearing at intervals. At the 

 northern islands, where the birds arrive some considerable time after 

 the summer visitors have departed, their appearance is irregular during 

 October and November ; in some seasons they occur in fair numbers, 

 while in others they are very scarce. It is doubtful if we derive any very 

 great numbers from Northern Europe, as that portion of Norway from 

 which the British Isles presumably receives immigrant Lapwings affords 

 only somewhat limited haunts for this bird as a summer visitor. 



The northern immigrants arrive on our shores during the latest hours 

 of the night and the earliest of the morning, and frequently appear 

 simultaneously, if not in company, with Song Thrushes, Fieldfares, Red- 

 wings, Blackbirds, Ring-ousels, Redbreasts, Goldcrests, Bramblings, 

 Skylarks, Starlings, Snipes, Woodcocks, <fec. 



» The Lapwing is only a rare straggler to Iceland, but occurs on passage in small 

 nuintiers during both spripg and autumn, in most j-ears, at the Faroes (Andersen), 



