30 STUDIES IN BIRD-MIGRATION 



flock flitted alongside of the ship, and, at my request, the 

 captain ascertained from the engine-room the precise 

 rate at which we were steaming, the result being a 

 speed of exactly eleven knots (12.6 miles) an hour. At 

 this speed the Skylarks passed us with the greatest ease, 

 and, as near as it was possible to estimate, were pro- 

 ceeding as fast again as the ship, or at a rate of about 

 25 miles an hour, but certainly not more. It was more 

 difficult to estimate the speed of the Starlings, but they 

 were probably travelling at least half as fast again as the 

 Larks, and therefore at not less than from 35 to 40 miles 

 an hour. 



The following list affords, in an epitomised form, and 

 for each of the species observed, the information relating 

 to their various movements and the dates on which they 

 were performed : — 



TuRDUs viscivoRUS, Mistle - Thrush. — With one 

 exception, a night visitor, observed in some numbers at 

 the lantern and around the ship on the early morning of 

 3rd October, and again on the night of the 17 th and in 

 the early hours of the i8th, examples being captured on 

 both occasions. One was flying high to the west at 

 II A.M. on the 1 8th. 



TuRDUs Musicus, Song-Thrush. — A night visitor 

 only. Numbers were flying around the ship between 

 2 and 4 A.M. on 18th September and 3rd October, 

 some being killed on the latter date. Many were 

 again present during the great night movement of 

 1 7 th- 1 8th October, when several were killed at the 

 lantern. 



TuRDUS MERULA, Blackbird. — Was observed between 

 2 and 4 A.M. on 27th September and 3rd October, along 



