WEST COAST OF ENGLAND AND WALES. 103 



I. — General Eemarks. 



The great mass of migrants during the past autumn seem to 

 have passed stations decidedly south of Anglesea. The great 

 movements appear to have taken place between Oct. 21st and 24th 

 (inclusive), during which period some dozen species were noted; 

 and again between Nov. 10th and 14th (inclusive), this being 

 the most important movement, and applied no less than eighteen 

 species observed at the lighthouses and lightships alone. 



The report embraces notes on some rare or interesting 

 species, including Motacilla alba, Lanius major, Ampelis gar- 

 rulus, Chen albatus, Querquedula circia, Phalaropus hyberboreus, 

 Machetes pugnax, Hydrochelidon nigra ; whilst the scarcity 

 or entire absence of Passer montanus, Corvus comix, and 

 Bernicla brenta, and the presence of Bernicla leucopsis, are of 

 interest to one accustomed to East Coast observations. The 

 capture, too, of eight Procellaria pelagica at the South Bishop, 

 on Oct. 14th, is a noteworthy incident. The lanterns vary not a 

 little in their death-dealing attractions, those of the Bardsey, 

 South Bishop, Smalls, Nash (E.), Godrevy, and Eddystone 

 lighthouses being most seductive, occasionally commanding no 

 less than two hundred victims in a single night. 



To be able to offer opinions, or even to speculate on the 

 various problems connected with the migration of birds on the 

 West Coast of England, will require much careful study based 

 upon reports for some years, and it will be much regretted that 

 this coast has been neglected for several seasons. 



Chief attention should, perhaps, be paid to the relationship 

 which exists between migration as observed on this coast and 

 the great land mass of Ireland ; thus to enable us, if possible, to 

 give some indication of the lines of route, if any, taken by both 

 summer and winter visitors and partial migrants on their 

 passages to and from that country. 



To this end a series of careful observations must and should 

 be made, and special attention be given by observers to the 

 direction taken by all migratory birds. This, it is thought, has 

 not received the attention it deserves, and, as it may add a 

 special value to the observations made, it is hoped that the 

 lightkeepers (especially those on light-vessels) and others, who 

 have so very willingly helped in the past, will give attention to 

 this request. 



