MIGRATIONS OF BIRDS AT TUSKAR ROCK. 227 



the Tuskar Rock. There, owing to inclement weather (a rough 

 wind and steady downpour of rain prevailing at the time), they 

 broke their journey, and so afforded me the chance of observing 

 them. A highly important piece of evidence, showing that they 

 were not fatigued, and were moreover shy, is the way in which 

 the three, which I did not collect, immediately they missed 

 their companions hurriedly left the Eock, even in heavy rain, 

 and speeded along over the waves. Were they fatigued, not 

 only my presence but even the terrible rending noise produced 

 by the fog-explosive then in action would not have driven them 

 off the Eock, unless they differed markedly in their habits from 

 many other species of Warblers which I have a score of times 

 seen stand such menace. 



Of course, one cannot say definitely where [ these Reed- 

 Warblers came from before reaching the Eock : I cannot, how- 

 ever, believe from their demeanour when living, and from their 

 bodily condition as examined after death, that they, in a pro- 

 tracted journey, had been carried out of their course by the 

 wind. At the time and indeed for many hours before their 

 appearance the wind, blowing with the force of a moderate 

 breeze, came from the south-ivest, and so could hardly carry the 

 birds across from the shores of Great Britain. After all, these 

 birds may have emigrated from Ireland, for, until the vast 

 watersheds and abundant reed-grown ponds, rivers, and lakes 

 have been systematically searched by ardent and patient field 

 ornithologists, it is wholly unjustifiable to conclude that Reed- 

 Warblers absent themselves from Ireland during the breeding 

 season. Many of the great luxuriously grown reed-beds, such as 

 those of the River Shannon, offer a special inducement to Reed- 

 Warblers for breeding purposes, and it would well repay ornitholo- 

 gists resident in Ireland to investigate this matter personally. I 

 cannot but believe that Ireland catches the western fringe of the 

 migratory routes of more birds than we think. In comparatively 

 recent years a substantial addition has been added to the list of 

 birds, which for the most part breeding in greater numbers in the 

 sister Isle also breed in Ireland. We have also considerably 

 increased our knowledge in regard to the wider distribution of 

 several species which, not remaining to breed, pass through the 

 country on migration. At all events, much more personal field 



