E0B1NS ON MIGRATION. 7 



quietly, and after a few flutters it managed to secure a footing 

 on a window-sash above my head out of arm's reach. How- 

 ever, in the dazzle of the white beam as it swept across the 

 bird, the latter came fluttering down in response to tappings 

 made by Mr. Glanville on the pane of glass below. As the bird 

 descended and came within reach it was easily picked off the 

 lantern-window. 



Half an hour passed before I saw another bird. Then at 

 11.10 o'clock a bird flew quietly in over my head until it came 

 in contact with the glass, down the panes of which it started 

 fluttering ; however, being within arm's length, I easily secured 

 it without a moment's delay. It proved to be a second Kobin. 

 Birds were scarce and species few this night, the only other 

 species I identified being Wheatears and Spotted Flycatchers, 

 examples of which flew against the glass, but were not col- 

 lected.* At the time that the second Eobin was collected 

 the wind had veered to south-west, and the sky had cleared 

 sufficiently to allow the stars to shine out, though not brilliantly. 

 About midnight a few small birds, which may have been Eobins, 

 passed through the rays ; odd birds of this kind appeared at 

 intervals of about every twenty minutes till 2 a.m. From then 

 until dawn I saw no more birds. On the whole this night was 

 very dark and calm, and had there been more haze it would 

 have been a typical night for bringing birds round the lantern. 



An interval of twenty-eight days now took place before I saw 

 another Eobin. On Thursday night, Sept. 12th, 1912, at 10.10 

 o'clock, one came up slowly to the lantern just over my 

 head, and as it fluttered down the glass I collected it. The 

 night was calm, the sky dark and somewhat overcast, but it 

 cleared at intervals so that the stars shone out brilliantly. 

 Curiously enough, it was just in one of these starlit intervals 

 that the Eobin was collected. This was a night in which 

 many kinds of birds were seen round the lantern. Wheat- 

 ears, mainly belonging to the large race, appeared soon after 

 darkness set in. They were followed by Willow-Warblers, 

 Corn-Crakes, Goldcrests, Eing-Ouzels, Chiffchaffs, Sedge-Warb- 

 lers and Common Terns. Specimens of all these were collected, 



'■'• Vide " Spotted Flycatchers on Migration observed at the Tuskar Eock 

 and Lighthouse," ' Irish Naturalist,' October, 1912, p. 198. 



