MIGRATIONS OF BIRDS AT TUSKAR ROCK. 213 



differed in that during the latter end of Septemher (1912) it was 

 east to south-east, i. e. seawards. Whether we are to correlate 

 this alteration in the direction of flight with an alteration in the 

 direction of the wind is, with the present insufficient data to go 

 upon, difficult to say. However, it is well to mention that, 

 previous to September 19th (1912), the prevalent winds came 

 from points between north and west, and the direction of flight 

 of Swallows, Pipits, and Wagtails from the first date that I 

 recorded their diurnal migrations up to September 19th was 

 mainly north-west. 



On the other hand, the direction of the wind from September 

 19th to the end of the month was between east and south-east, 

 and generally it blew fairly strong. Hence it may be that when 

 the wind settles down to blow from a certain point, veering but 

 little for many days, the migrants may elect to fly against it, 

 i. e. to head the wind as they proceed on the way. This view is 

 strengthened by the fact that Pipits and Wagtails also reversed 

 their course pari passu with Swallows. It would take us rather 

 far afield in this paper to deal with the question as to whether 

 the landwardly-directed flight of Pipits and Wagtails signified, 

 in the strict sense of its meaning, an immigration to Ire- 

 land. This point I shall pass over until I write on these birds 

 separately on some future occasion. 



But a few remarks may here be dealt with conveniently on 

 the interpretation of the direction of flight in Swallows, birds 

 whose movements in autumn, no matter what be their direction, 

 signify a token of their departure from our shores. Neglecting 

 the question of the direction of the wind, which should (unless 

 the force was of very considerable magnitude) exercise little or 

 no influence on the course pursued by this species, possessed as 

 it is of remarkable wing-power, quick glancing flight, and 

 marvellous adroitness in twisting and turning in the air, it is 

 quite possible and not improbable that the land-going birds 

 which I observed at the Tuskar Light-Station, emigrated from, 

 or at all events passed along, the coast of Wales from some 

 points along the shores of the extensive region of Cardigan Bay. 

 Owing to the strongly directed south-west curve of the coast of 

 this bay extending down to Pembrokeshire, which curve tends 

 to lessen considerably the mileage of water between that part of 



