ON BIRD MIGRATION. 281 



aflfected. Heavy snow and severe frost cause great movements south- 

 wards along the coasts and overland. Should such conditions extend to 

 the South of England much emigration is embarked upon for the shores 

 of France, great numbers of Lapwings crossing the Channel both by day 

 and night. Occasionally during these periods of exceptional severity 

 many of these birds, along with other species affected (' Thrushes,' Larks, 

 Starlings, &c.), are observed moving westwards during the daytime along 

 the south coast of England and its vicinity en route for Devon, Cornwall, 

 and the Scilly Isles, and not a few then cross St. George's Channel to 

 Ireland,' where milder conditions usually prevail. In the Sister Isle the 

 counties of Cork and Kerry are largely resorted to by the Irish birds 

 when in distress. There appear to be no winter movements westward to 

 the Hebrides as in the case of several other species affected by severe 

 weather on the mainland. 



The time when the winter emigrations from Britain may be enforced 

 varies greatly. Thus during the season 1901-1902 the weather in the 

 South of England remained mild until February, when it became excep- 

 tionally severe, and continued so for a long time. At the Eddystone and 

 elsewhere on the South Coast no Lapwings had been observed crossing the 

 Channel previously during the winter, but on February 2, and again on the 

 13th and 15th, great numbers passed southwards both by day and by night. 

 Winter movements within our isles have been recorded as late as mid- 

 March ; on the 15th, in 1881, many Lapwings, along with Skylarks, Star- 

 lings, Golden Plovers, Woodcocks, and Snipes, were observed flying south- 

 wards before snow at the IS! ash Lighthouse, on the north sliore of the 

 Bristol Channel. 



It is when retreating before these adverse conditions that the move- 

 ments of the Lapwing become pronounced and widespread, and, in this 

 respect, contrast markedly with the other migrations of this species. It 

 is on such occasions, too, that the bird chiefly approaches the lanterns and 

 is killed or captured, a fate which does not commonly befall it.^ On the 

 night of December 17, 1885, twenty-one were captured at the Eddystone 

 out of several hundreds which appeared at the light — the record for the 

 period 1880-1887. Comparatively few perish by starvation, even in 

 winters of exceptional severity. 



Winter Immigration from Western Central Eurojie. — During severe 

 winters on the Continent the east-to-west passage of Lapwings across 

 the southern waters of the North Sea is renewed. The immigrants, as 

 in the autumn, arrive on the south-east coast of England and pass 

 westward in search of the milder areas within our isles.^ 



Spring Movements from British Winter to Summer Haunts. — To their 

 breeding grounds in England and the south of Scotland Lapwings may 

 be induced by the prevalence of mild weather to return in small parties 

 as early as the end of January and beginning of February, but are 

 usually compelled to retreat by the advent or recurrence of severe 



' Occasionally during severe winters nambers of Lapwings have been obgervgcl 

 passing westwanls at stations off and on the east coast of Ireland, which points to a 

 passage of emigrants from North Wales. 



2 In sixteen years eight only were obtained at the Irish light-stalions ; and Mr. 

 Herluf Winge informs me that twenty-one were killed at the Danish stations during 

 a like period. 



' At Great Yarmouth on December 22, lfi94, hundreds of Lapwings were 

 observed ' comipg oyer ' against a strong N.W, gale, and many were drowned 

 ^Zoologist, 1900, p. 163). 



