304 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



It has been suggested " before the end of November the 

 migratory spirit of a Stvalloiv would under ordinary conditions 

 be at rest." What explanation can be offered regarding the 

 following instance, which seems completely to confute this pro- 

 position : — While staying at Kettering, at Christmas (1906), I 

 was shown three young Swallows (not Martins), nearly fledged, 

 preserved in spirits, which were taken from a nest on Dec. 4th. 

 The previous day they were being fed by one of the parent birds, 

 but either from the bird's instinct to migrate, or some other 

 cause, the young were left to perish. 



Now, presuming that the mother (?) bird left her young to die 

 of starvation in order to gratify the impulse of migration, why 

 should she do so more than Swallows in Hampshire ? There 

 was more reason for her to remain than for the southern birds 

 to delay their departure. 



To return to the discussion of the Hampshire birds — respect- 

 ing the Swallow last seen on Dec. 21st — there seems no reason 

 whatever for believing " that the wind liad brought him in a wrong 

 direction." 



From certain well noted marks on the plumage this was one 

 of the Swallows which had been under observation since Nov. 

 25th. It was a male adult bird in full plumage, and one of the 

 parents of a family of five reared in a cowshed near the stream 

 where these observations have been made. On Nov. 27th the 

 young birds had all disappeared, only the two adult birds remain- 

 ing ; and on 29th the male bird only was left, and remained on 

 until Dec. 21st, when it undoubtedly perished. But of the Sand- 

 Martins — the first of which was observed on Nov. 25th, flying 

 about with the Swallows, and on 29th was joined by another — 

 these are the birds which were under observation so long, although 

 one disappeared before the other. 



On another point I do not agree with the suggestion that 

 the " birds were gradually starved while the ivinds were blowing 

 from quarters which their instinct rightly bids them . . . to disobey. ," 

 As I have shown, so-called favourable winds blew, which would 

 have carried them safely away, but they chose to stay, and at 

 least one had not starved (when these notes were penned) ; and 

 this is one of the most remarkable and extraordinary things 

 about this puzzling feat of summer birds trying to winter in 



