FIFTH EEPORT 



ON 



THE MIGRATION OF BIRDS 



IN THE 



SPEING AND AUTUMN OF 1883. 



"We had a succession of black nights going up the river, and it was observable 

 that whenever we landed and suddenly inundated the trees with the intense sun- 

 burst of the Electric Light, a certain curious effect was always produced : hundreds 

 of birds flocked instantly out from the masses of shining green foliage, and went 

 careering hither and thither through the white rays, and often a song bird turned 

 up and fell to singing. We judged that they mistook this superb artificial day for 

 the genuine article." — Maek Twain, in ^Life on the Mississippi,' p. 452. 



•* Yea, even the fowl — 

 That through the polar summer months could see 

 A beauty in Spitzbergen's naked isles, 

 Or on the drifted icebergs seek a home — 

 Even they had fled, on southern wing, in search 

 Of less inclement shores." — The Fowler. 



EAST COAST OF SCOTLAND, &c. 



From Skykkesholm, in Iceland, comes our first return from 

 that country since the commencement of our work. M. Thorlacius, 

 to whom we are indebted for this return, writes as follows : — 

 *' As this list cannot nearly comprise all the Icelandic birds of 

 passage, of which especially the sea-birds are wanting, I shall 

 complete this by next mail, and send you the continuation along 

 with a complete list of the appearances of birds of passage in 

 the present year (1883). The dates quoted opposite each species 



B 



