I08 OUR SUMMER MIGRANTS. 



About the middle of August there is a general 

 return movement towards the coast, and the 

 Wagtails now first become gregarious. At that 

 time Mr. Knox has frequently observed them 

 in the interior of the county, where they remain 

 but a few days, making way for fresh detach- 

 ments, which in their turn follow the same route 

 to the sea. At the end of the month, or early 

 in September, they may be seen of a morning, 

 flying invariably from "vO^est to east, parallel to 

 the shore, but following each other in constant 

 succession. 



These flights continue from daybreak until 

 about ten o'clock in the forenoon, and so steadily 

 do the birds pursue their course that even when 

 one or more of an advancing party have been 

 shot, the remainder do not fly in a different 

 direction, but opening to right and left close 

 their ranks and continue their progress as before. 

 During this transit their proximity to the coast 

 depends to some degree on the character of the 

 country lying between the South Downs and 

 the sea ; but as they advance towards Brighton, 



