1910-1911.] Bird Migration in Solway. 309 



north, is pretty sure to give the observer matter for noting. 

 Perhaps " observer " is not the correct word, for it implies the 

 use of eyesight. It is, however, on such a night that ears 

 must be used. From all directions of the air and heavens 

 will be heard notes and calls of birds. Some of them are 

 little chirps and squeaks hardly discernible by the best ears. 

 Others may be loud enough, such as the quack of Wild-duck 

 or the scream of a Diver. The piping of wading -birds is 

 always very conspicuous. 



Familiar as one may be with the winter notes or summer 

 songs and calls of our birds, whose every modulation may be 

 fixed on our memory, still, as I have already stated in dealing 

 with the off-going movement, with the notes of migrating 

 birds the case is quite different. The best field-ornithologist 

 will scarcely identify more than half the calls he may hear 

 during a really big movement. 



The migrating call is only uttered when the birds are 

 travelling high overhead, and only then when the night 

 is not quite a clear one. 



The whole subject is a singularly attractive one, and I 

 only wish it had more attention from my fellow -workers. 

 Of course, one needs to be in a good position, but no place 

 is altogether barren. The coast-lines and larger river-valleys 

 are always good. In a great general migration the whole 

 country — and Great Britain in its entirety is not so big 

 as we sometimes think it is — is entirely overswept by wave 

 after wave of birds. 



The Society has suffered great loss in the death of Mr 

 Eobert Service, which took place at Maxwelltown, Dumfries, 

 on May 8, 1911. As a Corresponding Member, Mr Service 

 has contributed many notably valuable papers on ornithologi- 

 cal subjects. As a student of Bird Life, Mr Service was 

 among the foremost in this country. 



