PEEFACE. 



The seventeenth volume of the British Ornithologists' 

 Club contains the report of our Migration Committee on 

 the movements in England and Wales of a number of 

 common migratory species during the spring and early 

 summer of 1905. It may be of interest to state how this 

 Sub-Committee came to be appointed, and to give a brief 

 account of their work. 



At the meeting of the Club held on November 16th, 

 1904, it was suggested, by Dr. F. G. Penrose, that a Sub- 

 Committee should be appointed for the purpose of 

 collecting and collating evidence regarding the move- 

 ments, within this realm, of our common migrants, and 

 that the enquiry should at first be limited to England 

 and Wales. 



On December 14th the proposition was agreed to, and 

 the following members were elected to serve on the 

 Committee, viz. : — Messrs. J. L. Bonhote, W. Eagle 

 Clarke, M. J. NicoU, and H. E. Witherby, as well as 

 Drs. E. G. Penrose and N. E. Ticehurst. 



On January 18th, 1905, it was reported that Mr, W. 

 Eagle Clarke was unable to serve on the Migration Com- 

 mittee, owing to pressure of other work, but that he was 

 entirely in sympathy with the proposed enquiry, and had 

 promised his advice. 



It was further reported that it had been decided to 

 limit the enquiry, at present, to the arrival and dispersal 

 throughout England and Wales of some thirty strictly 

 migratory species, which winter abroad and nest within the 



