CHAP. XI Departing Birds : an Epilogue 261 



any given observer will have less to tell you of the 

 dates of departure than of the dates of the arrival of 

 birds in his district. 



There are several reasons for this besides the want 

 of continuous patient observation. During the moult 

 the birds are apt to disappear from view, and when 

 it is over, unless they begin to sing again — which 

 they wUl not do in unfavourable weather — we may 

 easily miss them or fancy that they have altogether 

 deserted us. Then comes another difficulty. Our 

 own local birds may really have left us, and yet we 

 may be deceived into thinking that they are still here 

 by the appearance of individuals of the same species, 

 which are in reality only resting for a day or two in 

 the course of their leisurely travel. For example, 

 I should find it hard to say with any certainty at 

 what time the Whinchats leave my own neighbour- 

 hood, though the bird is very abundant and obvious 

 here all through the summer. I can state without 

 hesitation that they were with us till the end of 

 August ; on the 26th of that month they were in 

 large numbers about their favourite nesting-places on 

 the railway banks. I was away the greater part of 

 September, and to-day (1st October) I am unable to 

 find a single Whinchat. But I should not be sur- 

 prised if I were to see one or two more ; they have 

 occasionally been here as late as this. Should they 

 appear again I shall conclude that these are travel- 



