262 RECREATIONS OF A NATURALIST 



these questions, it will be well to state a few facts ; 

 and I will presently endeavour to explain the nature 

 of the connection between birds and lighthouses, 

 and show what important assistance has been given 

 towards a solution of the problems concerning 

 migration through the instrumentality of those who 

 daily and nightly keep watch along the shore. 



The true "home" of a bird is undoubtedly the 

 country, or district, in which it makes its nest and 

 rears its young. Some species seldom or never 

 quit their homes, and are termed "residents"; 

 others do so periodically, and are termed " migrants " 

 or " birds of passage." The latter are commonly 

 divided into three classes: "summer migrants," 

 " winter migrants," and "birds of double passage," 

 or those which visit us in spring or autumn. The 

 " summer migrants " are those which come to us 

 from the south in spring, pass the summer with us, 

 bring up their young here, and depart southward 

 again at the approach of winter. Familiar examples 

 of these are the Hobby, Red-backed Shrike, Fly- 

 catcher, Redstart, Wheatear, Reed Warbler, 

 Nightingale, Blackcap, Garden Warbler, White- 

 throat, Willow Wren, Yellow Wagtail, Tree Pipit, 

 Woodlark, Wryneck, Cuckoo, Swallow, Swift, 

 Nightjar, Turtle Dove, Stone Curlew, Common 

 Sandpiper, Landrail, Garganey, Puffin, Razorbill, 

 Kittiwake, and several species of Tern. 



The " winter migrants " are those which, having 

 reared their young in latitudes north of the British 

 Islands move southward about the same time that 

 our " summer migrants " are travelling in the same 



