458 REPORT—1896. 
of passage to and from their northern breeding haunts, the British east 
and west coast migratory movements are very distinct in their characters. 
The west coast does not receive immigrants direct from Europe; nor do 
these continental breeding species depart from its shores in the spring. 
Indeed, it is quite remarkable how rare, or comparatively rare, certain 
well-known east coast species are on the western portion of our shores. 
With the movements of the British migratory birds next to be con- 
sidered it is quite different, for, with the exception of a few species whose 
summer haunts are much circumscribed in our Islands, the movements are 
not only common to both coasts, but the great emigratory flights are 
usually simultaneously observed on the east, west, and south coasts, and 
also on those of Ireland. 
The west coast of Great Britain and the Irish coasts are thus only 
under much migration during the great autumn departure movements from 
our shores, and to a less extent during the return movements in spring. 
Intermigration between Great Britain and Ireland and the South, &e.— 
Having shortly described the migratory movements between the British 
Islands and Northern and Western Europe, undertaken by birds of pass- 
age and winter visitors to our Islands, the routes on our coasts along 
which the summer visitors! travel to and from their breeding quarters 
in Great Britain and Ireland now demand attention in their geographical 
aspect. It will be convenient also to refer to the routes between the dif- 
ferent portions of the British area under this division. 
The autumn or emigratory movements will be described—but it is 
necessary to remark that the data clearly indicate that the spring migra- 
tory movements along our western shores are simply return movements, 
on the part of the same species, along the same lines of flight as those laid 
down for the autumn. 
The movements of these groups of migrants will be treated of under 
‘the various sections of our coasts. The first movement on the part of all 
emigrants among British birds is to the coast, which is reached in some 
cases, no doubt, by particular inland routes. 
Hast Coast of Great Britain.—The emigratory movements on the east 
coast are very simple in their geographical aspect. When the coast is 
reached, the emigrants follow the coastline southward, gathering strength 
as they go, and finally quit our shores at various points on the south 
coast of England. 
It is during such autumnal movements that the more southern coast- 
line of Eastern England, and its off-shore fleet of lightships, record night 
migration. The ranks of the British emigrants are, as we have said, re- 
eruited as they fly onward, and if a great movement should be in progress, 
the causing-influence will affect also many birds of passage which may be 
sojourning on our shores. Two wings of the migratory army thus com- 
bine, and a great ‘rush’ to the south is the result. 
West Coast of Great Britain —The emigratory movements which pass 
down the west coast are far from being so simple in their geographical 
details as those observed on the east. 
That such should be the case is not surprising. Here we have Ireland, 
the Isle of Man, the Hebrides, and an extremely irregular coastline exer- 
cising their varied influences. In addition, there are intermigrations 
’ Those birds which have been described as ‘partial migrants’ are included in 
this category. 
