46 Meetings of Section II. 



but in good condition, which would not have been the case 

 had the supply of food gradually dwindled. 



After inviting discussion, Mr. Saunders remarked that the 

 interesting facts brought forward by Mr. Fleming served to 

 indicate that the south-westward autumnal migration of 

 Brünnich's Murre was influenced by the natural trough 

 formed hj the St. Lawrence in the direction of the 

 Mississippi valley. This was a well-known route for Ducks, 

 etc., which penetrated as far as the Gulf of Mexico. The 

 Murre, it was true, had not been recorded below the Indiana, 

 say about lat. 38° ~N. } but even so, this was the most 

 southerly record inland, though on the coast birds had 

 been known to reach South Carolina. 



The Rev. H. ~N. Bonar asked if there could not be some 

 other reason than want of food to cause the migration. He 

 had known the bird well in Spitsbergen, and thought that 

 it could get food under difficult ice conditions. 



Mr. Fleming explained that the feeding grounds of these 

 birds were near the shore and that, apparently, their 

 food was not obtainable in deep water ; that the ice in 

 Hudson's Bay had driven inshore, forming a junction with 

 the shore ice, and that the feeding grounds were thus covered. 

 With the exception of five birds, which were found in sea 

 water, none of the very many examined during the migration 

 had any food whatever in their stomach. The reason for his 

 having advanced his theory was the study of the parallel 

 case of the Ducks driven from their feeding grounds by ice 

 as he had already explained in his paper. 



Mr. Saunders then vacated the chair in favour of Mr. 

 Otto Herman, the President of the Section. 



Mr. Herman then called on Dr. F. Helm to read his 

 paper entitled : — 



" Neuere Beobachtungen über den Herbstzug des 

 Staares in Deutschland.'' 



At the conclusion of this paper the chairman made a few 

 remarks and having thanked Dr. Helm, announced the meet- 

 ing closed. 



