GENERAL REMARKS. 9 
think, fail to give them the idea of the process of the population 
of these interior portions of the country in Scotland. 
Eneland is differently cireumstanced to a great extent, owing 
principally to its low-lying sea-board. There is no occasion 
there to have the great migration waves compressed into 
erooves and firths and depressions. 
The further question naturally may be asked, “But why 
should they not fly in over the cliff tops?” We think there 
are already many reasons stated in our previous remarks why 
such is less likely to happen, during normal migration, whether 
by day or by night, and that they should avoid obstacles, and 
choose an easier if not a shorter route. 
The population of these interior parts, which are bounded by 
precipitous coast-lines, appears to us almost certainly to arrive 
by the innumerable veins—if I may so call them—which run 
into and join the main arteries,—and thus a circular migration 
is evinced. 
Birds in normal migration against a beam wind fly low, and 
on reaching low-lying sea-board pass on inland without resting. 
But on approaching high land, say 200 or 300 feet in height, 
while at night the greatest darkness is ahead of them, and the 
ereatest light to the north or south of their course; during the 
day-time, if the wind is off-shore—a beam wind,—on approach- 
ing the lee shore, they enter upon a calm belt of sheltered air 
and water, and choose the easier path along shore. According 
to whether the off-shore wind is strong or hght, will they ap- 
proach nearer or keep further out; and, skirting the coast-line, so 
enter upon one of the great open highways of normal migration. 
This, which appears almost undoubted, will in great measure 
account for the invariably slender returns sent in by nearly all 
the rock-bound stations of the more precipitous portions of the 
Scottish Coast. 
Regarding the migration of Woodcock generally, the follow- 
ing notes may prove of some interest. These I culled from the 
note-books and game register of a naval friend stationed at 
Corfu and the Albanian coast in 1879. 
The first fight of Woodcock occurs about the first ten days of 
November, and it remains a very short time before passing on, 
unless abnormal “south winds keep them in cover.” The 
second and heavy flight occurs about the middle of December, 
