WEST COAST OF SCOTLAND. 93 



of light is "white, fixed," — in fact, the brightest. Thus in 

 many instances we consider that it is owing to position and 

 nature of lights to a very considerable extent that we receive 

 more schedules from some stations than others, and none at 

 all from the least likely, whereas on the English East Coast 

 all lightships are almost equally good as regards position. 



Yet we do not allow that this is entirely the cause of least 

 and greatest migration at different points, because we now know 

 well enough, from land data, that certain tracks are preferred to 

 others, and that these tracks over land have very strong connec- 

 tion with the East Coast Scotch principal stations, as we think 

 our Keports will show. 



As regards the influences of winds, &c, sufficient has already 

 been said on this head throughout the Keports, and every 

 succeeding schedule goes to prove our previous ones. 



Analyses of the West Coast schedules almost always show 

 much lighter returns than those from the East Coast, even from 

 the best West Coast stations. Our previous five years' experience 

 in great measure explains why it is so, and it seems natural to 

 expect lighter returns on the West than on the East in most 

 winds or weather. But, having regard to the said experience 

 and the facts of migration which may now be said to be 

 ascertained and certain, there are also one or two additional 

 causes for the light nature of West Coast returns as against 

 East Coast ones ; while on the latter, the lights which give 

 the greatest illumination, if in other respects suitably exposed, 

 give the heaviest returns ; on the former, it seems that the 

 positions of the various stations have more to do with these. 

 Thus most of the East Coast stations face the east, whence 

 come the birds naturally, and while on the west birds travel 

 from N.W. towards S. or S.E., the extraordinary variety of 

 situations, and the equally great — or nearly so — variety of 

 lights of no great power and brilliancy, must undoubtedly 

 influence the quantities of birds visible on migration. And 

 we find that while such stations as Kyleakin (white and red, 

 fixed), Isle Ornsay (white, fixed), Sound of Mull (red, green, 

 and white sectors), Corran Ferry (red and white sectors, 

 fixed), &c, give small returns, or none at all, this is resultant 

 upon their positions even more than their brilliancy or absence 

 of brilliancy. And we find that the best situated stations, such 



