'^^-^■J Recent Literature. 2 2Q 



much attention, not only in Great Britain, but on the continent, and to 

 some extent in this country. ■ It is not only one of the subjects assigned 

 by the British Association for the Advancement of Science to a committee 

 for investigation, with an appropriation of money for carrying on the 

 work, but concerted action has been taken in the matter by the ornitholo- 

 gists of Germany and Austria. Some of the earlier reports on the mi- 

 gration of birds in the British Islands have been already noticed in these 

 pages (Vol. V, pp. 175-177 ; Vol. VI, p. 174), and we have now to call at- 

 tention to several late reports and papers on the same subject. The report 

 for 1880 forms a pamphlet of 120 octavo pages. As in the previous year, 

 printed schedules and letters of instruction were sent to 39 stations (light- 

 houses and lightships) on the east coast of ^cotland, the Shetland and 

 Orkney Islands, etc. ; to 44 on the east coast of England ; to 38 on the west 

 coast of Scotland and the Isles ; and to 39 on the west coast of England, or 

 to 160 stations in all, from io6.of which reports wei-e received. Each district 

 IS separately treated, embracing preliminary remarks and lists of stations 

 for each, followed in each case by separate reports for each species ob- 

 served, and by a summary of results. The report for 1881 is of similar 

 scope and character. 



As a rule, it is found that the young of the year, in nearly all species, 

 migrate some weeks in advance of the old birds. In, spring the migration 

 is, with rare exceptions, performed at night, by easy stages, with none of 

 the great "waves" or "rushes" that are so characteristic of the autumn 

 migration. The birds also appear to tly higher, and, the nights being- 

 clearer and shorteir, they do not so frequently come in collision with the 

 lanterns of lighthouses and lightships. These collisions also occur be- 

 tween 11 P.M. and dawn of day, instead of in the early hours of night, as 

 is the case in autumn. It is found that in general it is the brightest, whit- 

 est, fixed lights — those Avhich can be seen farthest in fog or haze — which 

 attract the most birds. While the data thus far collected are stated to be 

 insufficient to afford any positive conclusions as to the how and -why, tlie 

 reports contain much interesting matter bearing on the general subject. 



The fifth annual report of the German observers, for the year 1880,* 

 comprising nearly one hundred pages, is presented in the form of an an- 

 notated list of 2S0 species, compiled from the reports of the various observ- 

 ers by Dr. R. Blasius, A. Miiller, and J. Rohweder. The notes relate to 

 the nesting of many of the species, as well as to their migrations. The 



by Spottiswoode and Co., New-Street Square and Parliament Street. [1882.] 8vo, pp. 8. 



3. Report on the Migration of Birds in the Autumn of 1881. By John A. Harvie 

 Brown, Mr. John Cordeaux, Mr. Philip M. C. Kerniode, Mr. R. M. Barrington, and 

 Mr. A. G. More. London: Printed by West, Newman & Co., 54, Halton Garden. 

 1882, 8vo. pp. loi. 



4. Paper on the Migration of Birds upon our British Coasts, read before the Stirling 

 Field Club, on Tuesday, 13th December,- 1881, by J. A. Harvie Brown, F. R. S. E., F. 

 Z. S., &c. Stirling: Printed at the Journal and Advertiser Office. 1881. 12 mo. 

 pp. 12. 



*V. Jahresbericht (1880) des Ausschusses fiir Beobactungs-stationen der Vogel 

 Deutschlands. Journ. fiir Ornithologie, XXX Jahrg., Heft i, Jan. 1882, pp. 18-110. 



