EAST COAST OF ENGLAND. 59 



inches in depth, and five and a half inches in thickness ; it was 

 supposed to have been brought in by the tremendous easterly 

 swell of the last few days. It was purchased by Mr. Whittaker, 

 of Scarborough, for thirty pounds. 



Genekal Eemarks. 



The observations taken on the East Coast of England in 1883 

 have been such as to generally confirm the conclusions arrived at 

 in previous Keport, having special reference to directions of 

 flight and lines of migration. 



The winter of 1883-84 has been exceptionally mild, and there 

 has been an almost entire absence of severe frosts and lasting 

 snow-storms ; the prevailing winds in the autumn W. and S.W. — 

 such as we know are specially favourable for the passage of the 

 North Sea by great flights of birds, and their direct movement 

 inland without alighting to rest or recruit themselves in the east 

 coast districts. Our land stations report a great scarcity both of 

 land and sea-birds ; this has not, however, been the case at sea 

 stations — that is, light-vessels situated off the coast at distances 

 varying from five to fifty miles; here the stream of migration, so 

 far from showing any abatement, has flown steadily on in a full 

 tide, and, judging from the well-filled schedules that have been 

 returned, there appears to have been a decided increase in the 

 migrants passing these distant stations — due, perhaps, in some 

 measure to increased interest and improved observations. Mr. 

 Wm. Stock, of the Outer Dowsing l.v., remarks that he had 

 never before seen so many birds past that station. The rush 

 also over Heligoland during the autumn was enormous. Migra- 

 tion is more marked there than on the English coast ; there was 

 a great movement of various species passing forward on the 6th 

 and 7th of August, and again on the 14th, and more pronounced 

 still on the 21st and 22nd. 



The first great rush of birds on the English coast was on 

 Sept. 21st, and two following days ; and a similar great move- 

 ment or rush is indicated in Mr. Gatke's notes from his island 

 outpost, as well as on our more distant light-ships. The pre- 

 vailing winds on the North Sea on Sept. 21st were moderate 

 north-easterly and easterly off the coasts of Denmark and 

 Holland, blowing strong easterly on to our northern coasts north 

 of the Humber, with southerly and south-westerly off the south- 



