428 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



lures pegged out on the most attractive spots of green sward, carefully 

 prepared by pools of water, T have watched countless numbers of Plover 

 passing overhead on their southward migration. On some days no allure- 

 ment could induce them to descend to the tempting spots prepared for 

 their destruction, and their sharp whistle and rapid air-cleaving flight 

 showed no symptom of fatigue; the major portion of these great flocks 

 continued their southward flight from morn to eve without circling or 

 gyrating over the island. One might imagine that to these migrants, 

 compassing an ocean flight of 3200 miles, nothing would be more attractive 

 than the island of Barbados, looking like a Garden of Eden set in that 

 waste of waters. But it does not appear that such is the case, nor that 

 there is any absolute necessity, born of fatigue, for the Plovers to break 

 their journey by resting on this island, and that it is rather a matter of 

 volition, and not weariness, when they do alight on the island of Bar- 

 bados.— H. W. Feilden (Wells, Norfolk). 



Rate of Flight of Birds on Migration, — This is a subject on which 

 there is, and must continue to be, much divergence of opinion amongst 

 naturalists. The very remarkable statements made by Herr Gatke, in his 

 chapter " Schnelligkeit des Wanderflugs " (' Die Vogelwarte Helgoland,' 

 p. 65), appear to be incredible to naturalists. Yet there is much to be said 

 in support of his estimates of speed of birds in full migratory swing. 

 I remember some years since, when in Heligoland, Mr. Gatke mentioned 

 the fact, now recorded in his book, that repeated observations had shown 

 that, in the spring migration, Plovers, Curlews, and Godwits, flying across 

 the island at a rushing speed, reach the oyster-beds, 22,000 feet to the east, 

 within the space of one minute, or at the rate of 240 miles an hour. 

 Professor Newton, in his excellent article on " Migration " (' Dictionary of 

 Birds,' Part II. p. 566, foot-note), commenting upon this statement, says : — 

 " Yet, to do Herr Gatke justice, I must admit his general contention to be 

 sustained by a good observer, Mr. Oswald Crawfurd, who states (' Round 

 the Calendar in Portugal,' pp. 154-156), in regard to the wonderful speed 

 with which Turtle Doves fly on migration in autumn, that he once made a 

 calculation to arrive at the pace of their travelling ; ' but the result came 

 out in such surprising figures ' that he would not set them down. He 

 convinced himself, however, that, if the flight was continuous, Turtle Doves 

 leaving ' Kent or Surrey at dawn, might easily be the birds that a few hours 

 later were skimming over the Portuguese pine-forests on their way to 

 Central Africa.' " The flight of driven Grouse or Partridge, Teal rushing 

 down to water, belated Starlings flying to their roosting-places — that is, 

 birds with an impulse upon them — probably greatly exceeds the speed of our 

 fastest express trains. Man's ordinary progression is a walk, or a maximum 

 of four miles an hour, but when trained, or put to it, he will do his mile in 

 a few minutes. Migrating birds 6een coming in from the sea in the daytime, 



