454A REPORT—1896. 
and elevated portions of the British area ; hence these species are said to 
be ‘ Partial Migrants.’ 
Finally, our remarkably variable climate is a constant element of dis- 
turbance, causing much migration within the British area itself and inter- 
migration with the islands off our western coasts, especially with Ireland. 
This occurs during the winter months, and hence these migrations will be 
alluded to in this report as ‘Winter Movements.’ 
The above important considerations and influences result not only in 
much migration of a varied nature being witnessed on our shores, but 
often, through a combination of meteorological conditions, in more than 
one movement being observed in progress simultaneously, adding much 
further intricacy to an already complicated series of phenomena. 
Having thus shortly described the British Islands as a highway for 
and as a source of migration, having mentioned the nature of the various 
movements observed on our coasts, and having alluded to the influence 
exerted by climatic conditions upon the bird-population of our area, I 
may now proceed to discuss the main results obtained through the enquiry 
under the following sections: (1) Geographical, (2) Seasonal, and (3) 
Meteorological. 
GEOGRAPHICAL. 
General.—In passing from their summer to their winter haunts, birds 
proceed from a northern to a southern clime, and vice versd in the spring. 
It does not at all follow, however, that these seasonal haunts are reached 
by a simple movement from north to south, or the reverse. Each species 
or individual of migratory bird has its particular summer and winter 
resorts, and these do not necessarily lie in the same meridian—indeed this 
is often far from being the case. To attain these particular seasonal 
habitats many of the voyagers must depart more or less considerably from 
a direct course. This is especially the case in Western Europe, where, 
owing to the south-western extension of the land-masses, and the conse- 
quent irregularity of the coast line, various more or less devious routes 
must be, andare followed. The interposition of the British Islands between 
the north-western portion of the Continental Area on the one hand and 
Iceland and Greenland on the other, is an important additional factor in 
this deviation. 
The geographical distribution of birds during migration on the British 
and Irish Coasts, and the routes traversed, naturally depend upon the 
nature of the particular movement. 
The chief and most interesting movements from the geographical 
standpoint are the intermigrations between our Islands and Europe. 
There are, however, a number of movements between the various sections 
of the British and Irish areas which are of considerable importance. 
Intermigration between Britain and Northern Continental Hurope.— 
Between Britain and Continental Europe travel a host of migrants which 
are either birds of passage on, or winter visitors to, our shores. The 
former visit our eastern coast-line in spring when journeying to their 
northern summer haunts lying to the north-east of Britain, and again in 
autumn when returning to their winter quarters to the south of our 
Islands. The winter visitors are chiefly individuals from the ranks of 
certain species of the birds of passage which winter in the British area 
and emigrate to the north-east in the spring. 
In the autumn these numerous migrants cross the North Sea and 
