460 REPORT—1896. 
emigrants depart from the south-east coast of Treland en route for more 
southern winter-quarters, but also, strange to say, that many birds (e.g. 
Thrushes, Redwings, Blackbirds, Chaffinches, Greenfinches, Linnets, Star- 
lings, Larks) almost simultaneously enter that country by this very same 
section of her shores, in order to winter within her limits, These 
immigrants are often observed arriving from the south-east in great 
numbers for several days in succession. The English west coast observa- 
tions also bear evidence that such movements proceed across St. George’s 
Channel in a north-westerly direction. These cross-channel flights are 
usually observed during the daytime, but sometimes the arrival of certain 
of these birds on the Irish coast takes place during the night. 
According to the records it is only occasionally, as already stated, 
that the southerly autumnal movements from Western Scotland are 
observed at the northern Irish stations. Now and then, however, there 
is evidence that a considerable number of birds do arrive on, or skirt, the 
north coast of Ireland during the more pronounced west coast emigratory 
flights. 
Independently of, and in addition to, these main Irish migratory 
movements, Thrushes, Larks, and Starlings occur in October and November 
on the northern coasts of Ireland from Tory Island to the Maidens as 
immigrants from Scotland. These are to be correlated with movements 
of the same species observed at the Rhinns of Islay and the Wigton 
coast. Larks, too, are often recorded for this route during the daytime. 
There are also autumnal movements between Ireland and England 
and Wales by an east to west flight across the Irish Sea, on the part 
of Starlings, Chaffinches, Greenfinches, Larks, and sometimes of various 
species of Thrushes. Anglesey is the chief Welsh point, and Rockabill 
(off the north coast of Co. Dublin) the main Irish station at which these 
departures and arrivals are observed. 
The migratory movements observed on the west coast of Ireland are 
neither many nor important, and consist almost entirely of movements 
on the part of emigratory Irish birds. There are, however, remarkable 
immigrations from home sources witnessed on the west coast and its off- 
lying islets during great cold and snow, to which we shall have occasion 
to refer under the Seasonal and Meteorological Sections of this Report. 
South Coast of England.—It is much to be regretted that observations 
relating to the migrations of birds on the southern coast of England 
as a whole were not obtained by the Committee. The data bearing 
upon this important English coast-line are from a few stations on the 
south-eastern and south-western portions only. 
This information points to (1) a considerable amount of migration 
taking place between these portions of the coast-line and South-western 
Europe, and (2) important movements passing along the entire coast-line 
from east to west in autumn and probably vice versd in spring. 
The south coast is naturally the great scene of the arrival and 
departure of migratory birds of all descriptions, but the movements along 
shore are, perhaps, in some of their aspects, more interesting. Regarding 
these last, much remains to be ascertained concerning their precise nature 
and the destination of some of the birds travelling along this route. 
In the autumn this coasting stream of birds has its source chiefly in 
the immigratcry movements from the Continent across the southern 
waters of the North Sea by the East and West Route, of which it is but 
a continuation. It is possible also that British emigrants, after passing 
