10 



observations. The occurrences of early straggiers, which 

 are generally the only records furnished by the press, are 

 of very little help either in determining' the routes by 

 which the birds arrive or in tracing how they spread over 

 the country. 



By the courteous permission of the Master and Elder 

 Brethren of the Trinity House we have been able to obtain 

 valuable information from the keepers of the lighthouses 

 and lightships of the south and east coasts of England. 

 For this privilege, as well as for generous assistance in the 

 forwarding of Schedvdes and envelopes to the light-keepers, 

 we take this opportunity of expressing our best thanks. 



To the light-keepers, who have sent wings and Schedules, 

 we are much indebted and tender our heartiest thanks. 

 Among those who have been able to send the wings of a 

 number of birds killed at their lanterns, the keepers of the 

 following lights may be specially mentioned : — 



St. Catherine's, Orfordness, Kentish-Knock, Eoyal 

 Sovereign, and Long Sands. 



As the identification of birds seen by the light-keepers 

 could not be expected to be accurate we have taken into 

 account only those records which were accompanied by 

 wings. The results thus obtained, owing to the fact that 

 migrants are attracted to the lights only under certain 

 weather-conditions, were somewhat disappointing. Many 

 immigrations were entirely unobserved at the lights, while 

 others were not noted until after they had been in progress 

 for two or three days. 



The records from the lights were, however, often very 

 valuable in confirming the land-records, in detecting- 

 additional points of arrival, in denoting the points of 

 departure of birds of passage, and in recording a few 

 immigrations unnoticed by the land-observers. 



Before turning to the results of the enquiry it must first 

 be stated that we have sought to fill in some of the detail 

 which was necessarily wanting in the wider enquiry con- 

 ducted by the British Association Migration Committee. 

 That Committee when collecting its data (the meaning 

 of which has been so ably interpreted by Mr. W. Eagle 



