18 STUDIES IN BIRD-MIGRATION 



I was much struck with the small number of essenti- 

 ally marine birds that came under my notice at this 

 pelagic station. The only Gulls that were fairly 

 numerous were the Lesser Black-backed and the Kitti- 

 wake. The Great Black-backed Gull was occasionally 

 observed, but only a single Herring-Gull came under 

 notice. Skuas, chiefly Arctic, and a few Pomatorhines, 

 were frequently in attendance on the Gulls. I saw one 

 Tern — an immature example of the common species. 

 There were no Shearwaters, but I saw a single Fulmar. 

 Gannets, all adults, were not unfrequent as passing 

 visitors. Common Scoters, Guillemots, and Razorbills 

 were numerous along the edges of the sands, and were 

 chiefly in evidence during the prevalence of strong 

 westerly winds, when they sought our side of the banks 

 — the easterly — for shelter and food. I also saw a few 

 Red- throated Divers. 



One of the crew of the lightship, who has been on 

 board for over a year, and who, being a bird-fancier, 

 knows all the small cage-birds well, informed me that he 

 had never seen a Goldfinch, Linnet, or Redbreast on or 

 about the vessel since he had been stationed there. He 

 had seen two Greenfinches, which had arrived together 

 during the spring. 



The night movements were of a varied and interest- 

 ing character, occasionally of considerable magnitude, 

 and problematical in their nature. 



I may say at once that, so far as direct observation 

 was concerned, it was on all occasions quite impossible 

 to tell from what quarter the birds approached the ship 

 after darkness had set in. This I much regretted, for I 

 was particularly wishful to ascertain whether the east- 



