OBNITHOLOGICAL BECOBD FOB NOBFOLK. 125 



after daybreak, while perhaps the flight goes on all through the 

 day. Ornithological migration on the Norfolk coast is an east 

 to west one in autumn. 



I think it may be gathered from Mr. W. E. Clarke's valuable 

 1 Digest of the Observations on the Migrations of Birds ' that the 

 feathered pilgrims often cross England, and even go to Ireland, 

 before they turn south. Then the direction of flight of these 

 birds, which may have followed the sun in its course from Russia 

 and Asia, is entirely reversed, though in one or two instances 

 misguided Rooks and Starlings have been seen still flying west- 

 wards, even from the western coasts of Ireland. 



The number of Rooks, Grey Crows, Jackdaws, and Starlings 

 which arrive in Norfolk every autumn is very large, though nothing 

 like the quantities which pass Heligoland (H. Gatke), and with 

 them come regiments of small birds. Occasionally an old Crow, 

 too hungry to wait until he gets to land, catches a Chaffinch 

 en route (cf. Zool. xi. p. 4124), but generally there is harmony. 

 This mixing up of small and great was noticed in our county as 

 long ago as 1660, and is evident still, though there are far fewer 

 Teal and Hawks than there were in Sir T. Browne's day. Of all 

 months there are none for Norfolk, Suffolk, and Lincolnshire 

 like the month of October, which brings not only the largest 

 variety of species, but also the largest number of individuals in 

 any period of the year. More birds pass our eight lightships in 

 that month than in any other. Although I have had nearly 

 seventy species, or at least their wings, from these and other 

 lanterns, there has never been a House Sparrow among them, 

 neither did Mr. Booth or Mr. Cordeaux ever procure one on our 

 coast. As the past autumn was a remarkable one for migration, 

 it was a good thing that Mr. G. Newbegin consented, at my 

 request (stimulated by Mr. Bray's curious observations made in 

 Surrey), to take observations of the sun and full moon at the 

 Norwich Observatory, and he also developed several photographs 

 in the hope of catching birds in the act of passing these lumina- 

 ries ; but none crossed the telescope. This is the only way in 

 which we can establish the altitudes at which migratory birds fly, 

 but at present nothing has passed to confirm H. Gatke's views. 

 Nevertheless I believe them to be perfectly correct, for twenty- 

 five years ago I had exceptional eyesight, and have occasionally, by 



