125 



To the writer these migrations of insects partake more of 

 the nature of a stampede of animals, but unlike the latter probalJly 

 arise from some more natural cause, but for all this the direction 

 followed may be just as erratic. It is an interesting fact, how- 

 ever, that during the prevalen9e of east winds Noctuse fail to be 

 attracted by the sweets provided as a lure by the entomologist on 

 a " sugaring " expedition. Indeed, in this country, during such 

 conditions, insect life is not much in evidence. 



In his opening remarks on the " cause of the migratory 

 movement," Herr Gatke notes, that "it would be interesting to 

 discover what induces birds wintering in the more southern 

 parts of Africa, where they are subjected to hardly any changes 

 of climate, suddenly to leave these stations for their breeding 

 homes in the north; or again, what it is that urges the in- 

 dividuals of a species, the nesting stations of which are situated 

 say, in central Germany, to start on their journey a month 

 earlier than other members of the same species, the breeding 

 homes of which are in Northern Scandinavia, and which have 

 been passing their winter in North Africa. The later aUow the 

 migrant stream of their more southern kinsmen to pass over 

 them unmoved, as though they were fully conscious that their 

 own time for departure is not yet ripe and that their breeding 

 quarters are still held bound in the depths of winter." 



It may be questioned whether it is possible to prove that any 

 species breeding in Central Germany migrates to the southern 

 parts of Africa to winter there. The general opinion on this 

 point is, that the local race of a species breeding in the former 

 country, would more probably winter in Northern Africa, and 

 that it is the more northern races which winter further south. 

 " The higher a bird breeds in the north, the further south it 

 migrates to winter " has become almost an axiom. But apart 

 from these considerations, the explanation of the above pheno- 

 menon probably lies in the fact of the earlier activity of the 

 breeding organs which recurs at this period of the year coupled 

 with the innate tendency to return to their original homes at the 

 same period, which must set in in the case of the individuals 

 migrating to breed in Germany some weeks before it takes 

 place with those breeding in the north. The fact that non-breed- 



