REPORT ON THE MIGRATION OF BIRDS. 177 



Sky Lark, Alauda arvensis. — None reported north of the 

 Humber, and a negative return from Heligoland. South of the 

 Humber, from every station making returns, and showing a 

 gradual increase towards the more southern stations, where they 

 crossed in immense numbers. Earliest date of passage, July 24th, 

 at the Goodwin, 10 a.m., ninety to a hundred flying N.W. to the 

 nearest land, and again at the same station on Aug. 4th. After 

 this no further notice till Sept. 17th, when the regular and normal 

 migration of this species appears to have set in and continued 

 without intermission till Dec. 27th. Leaving out the two earliest 

 dates as exceptional, we shall find that the immigration of the 

 Larks to our east coast was continued over 102 days. During 

 October, November and December (first fortnight) they crossed 

 continually, passing from E. to W., also from points S. of E. 

 to others N. of W., over the narrowest part of the North Sea, 

 as is shown in the returns of the most southern lightships — 

 Galloper, Kentish Knock, Nore, North Foreland, Goodwin, Gull- 

 stream, East Side, and South-sand Head ; time, any hour of the 

 da}^ or night; direction of wind, variable. It would be quite 

 impossible in a limited space to give anything like a detailed 

 statement of the immigration of Larks, so a few extracts from my 

 summar}' of the reports must suffice. There was a "great rush" 

 of Larks and other species between Oct. 12th and 2i3rd. On the 

 16th October more birds appear to have crossed than on any day 

 during the autumn. There was again a "final rush" of the laggards 

 just preceding and during the outbreak of severe weather early in 

 December. At the Newarp, Sept. 29th to Oct. 27th, on fourteen 

 days, going W., no particular hour, some striking lantern at night. 

 At the Cockle, Sept. 28th to Oct. 17th, as a rule, very early in the 

 morning (4.30 to 9.20 a.m.), on foggy, thick nights stopping to 

 hover round lantern, some strike and are killed ; Oct. 9th to 16tb, 

 " great rush." At the Gorton, Oct. 22nd and 23rd, flocks passing 

 all day to N.W.; Nov. 11th, many hundreds during day; and again 

 on Dec. 25th, all day from N.E. to S.W., Ducks and Larks; 

 Dec. 27th, hundreds of Larks during afternoon. At the Shipwash, 

 from Oct. 9th to 16th ; all day on 1 5th and 16th. At the Galloper,! 

 from Oct. 8th to 24th, Larks, Starlings and Chaffinches, generally 



+ Birds passing this station were all passing to E. or E.S.E. or S.E. in October. 

 On Nov. 2U\i great numbers of Larks and Starlings were observed passing to N.N.E. 

 See general remarks at end of report. — J. C. 



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