4 THE ZOOLOGIST 1 . 



still more evident in the case of the Kobin, whose quiet approach 

 to the lantern in its endeavour to secure a resting place appears to 

 be but once attempted. I surmise with a considerable amount of 

 conviction that those birds which failed to reach the glass de- 

 scended to the waters below, off which they never rose again. On 

 no occasion have I noticed Robins augment in numbers as the 

 night grew later.* This means they did not tarry at the lantern 

 till their companions, coming in successive parties, reinforced 

 their numbers. But in other species no feature in bird-migra- 

 tion is more characteristic. On a dark, calm, and misty night 

 we may see only one or two Willow-Warblers or Wheatears for an 

 hour, or perhaps two, flying out in the rays, while later on these 

 are joined by others, so that by midnight there may be double or 

 treble the numbers. When the meterological conditions, being 

 favourable, remained constant, I have often noticed a steady and 

 regular increase of numbers up to a short time before dawn. 

 Here it is evident that those birds which arrived round the 

 lantern in the earlier part of the eight, and still were able to 

 career about till nearly dawn, must have been far from fatigued. 

 At the same time the light seemed to possess a fascination for 

 them, and compelled them to fly round and round the lantern 

 with unceasing energy. In regard to the remarkable paucity of 

 the occurrences of the Rubin at the Taskar lantern, it may be 

 observed that while this species made its appearance on dark, 

 calm nights and in company with other species, still it was 

 conspicuous by its absence on many other nights when the mete- 

 orological conditions were much more conducive in attracting 

 migrants, which, indeed, collected round the lantern in large 

 numbers. On such nights Robins probably were also on the 

 move, but avoided being lured to the beacon's blaze. 



Coming now to my personal observations on this species 

 made at the Tuskar Light-Station, it seems to me surprising that 

 during a spell of thirty-two days' residence on the Rock, viz. from 

 March 21st to April 22nd, I made no records of this bird's 

 appearance during the vernal migration. In fact, I did not see 



• : In his ' Studies in Bird-Migration,' vol. i. p. 40, Mr. Eagle Clarke 

 mentions that fifty or sixty Robins were noticed, on November 10th, Hying 

 round the lantern of the Kentish Knock Lightship from 2 a.m. till day- 

 light. But whether a smaller number were noticed earlier in the night is 

 not stated. 



