EAST COAST OF ENGLAND. 53 



good ; but the opposite coast of Kent, from the Xorth to the 

 South Forelands, including the four Goodwin and the Varne 

 light-vessels, is a barren and pre-eminently uninteresting district 

 for arrivals, both as regards numbers and species, the chief 

 migrants seen bein^ such as are followingr the coast to the south. 



Those mio-rants, which in the autumn follow the East Coast 

 from north to south, pass directly from the Spurn to the Lin- 

 colnshire coast without entering the Humber ; and there are no 

 indications that they follow the shores of the Wash in and out, 

 but shape their course from about Gibraltar Point to the Xorfolk 

 coast. To judge from the well-filled schedules sent in year by 

 year from the Shipwash, Swin Middle, Kentish Knock, and 

 Galloper light-vessels, a closely packed stream passes some- 

 where from the coast of Suffolk across the Xorth Sea in the line 

 of these stations, both in the spring and autumn, to and from 

 the Continent. Autumn migrants approaching the Humber 

 from the sea do not follow the course of that river into the 

 interior — that is from S.E. to N.W. — the line they take 

 invariably crosses the river diagonally, and is from E.S.E. to 

 WJN.W. This course is so persistently followed, that I have 

 observed year by year, on a migratory day, birds cross our fields 

 at the same angle. Supposing this course to be continued they 

 would strike the Trent at or near Gainsborough. 



Except in one instance no returns have been obtained from 

 any stations on the south-east coast between the South Foreland 

 and St Catherine's Point, Isle of Wight. This is much to be 

 regretted, as it is known that a strong migratory highway runs 

 along the South Coast as well as on the French side of the 

 Channel. 



