Thi Migration of Birds. 



was general, and not exceptional, the number of strictly resident 

 birds being very small — one of the few being that almost sacred 

 bird which was a peculiarity of Britain, the red grouse ; second, 

 that in the northern temperate countries one could distinguish the 

 summer visitors and the winter visitors, the birds of passage and 

 the actual vagrants, the actual migrants and the residents ; third, 

 that it was a law that the birds always nested, with perhaps one 

 exception, in the coldest part of their migratory range; and, fourth, 

 that there was extraordinary regularity in the comings and goings, 

 both as to punctuality and as to going back to the same place. 

 Then the other fact was that there was a very interesting contrast 

 between the autumnal flight southwards and the spring flight north- 

 wards. Migration was a seasonal movement from feeding and 

 resting in winter to breeding and nesting in summer. In the 

 autumn the farewell seemed reluctant and the birds dallied, but 

 the spring movement was a mad impulsive rush. More knowledge 

 was required as to the particular paths followed by the birds, and 

 also regarding the velocity and altitude of their flight. Much had 

 still to be learned also of the order of their coming and going, 

 though one rule was almost unanimous — the old males arrived first, 

 then came the mature females and later the youngsters. In 

 autumn the order was reversed, the younger birds leaving, first. 

 The notorious exception to this rule was the cuckoo, which, having 

 foisted the care of its offspring on other birds, left our shores with 

 or without a clear conscience — who could tell ? — some six months 

 before its young ones. The influence of the weather had yet to be 

 determined, while another question was whether the migratory 

 activity was intentional and deliberate or whether it was an 

 instinctive movement. Another question of supreme interest was 

 how the birds found their way at all. To many it seemed 

 impossible to doubt that birds had in a pre- eminent degree a 

 sublime sense of direction. In conclusion, the lecturer said the 

 study of migration was fascinating, and had been pursued by many 

 with extraordinary enthusiasm, and though as yet of no practical 



