238 REPORTS. 



Report of the Ornithological Section, 1920. 



The needs of the Society having necessitated a shortened 

 Ornithological Report as of other papers for publication in 

 the 1920 Transactions, I shall proceed, after a brief introduc- 

 tion, to a statement of the local observations. 



Last year I commented upon the mystery of migration — 

 the why and the wherefore of the long journey undertaken in 

 the spring of the year northward and in the autumn south- 

 ward. Side by side with the facts now known as to the 

 movements of the birds during their absence from us it is 

 interesting to place the theories — some of them very wild— -of 

 our ancestors on this point. And here is one, preserved in a 

 paper in the Harleian Miscellany. 



The theory is based on what is now well-recorded obser- 

 vation, viz., that many birds, including the stork, the bird 

 used in illustration, often fly on migration at a height that 

 renders them indiscernible. Our old writer argues therefore 

 that as the flight is not horizontal it must be perpendicular, 

 and consequently it becomes clear that the moon must be 

 the first resting place the birds would be likely to strike ! and 

 he says : — 



" therefore the stork, and the like may be said of other 

 season-observing birds, till some place more fit can 

 be assigned to them, does go unto, and remain in some 

 one of the celestial bodies, and that must be the moon, 

 which is most likely, because nearest, and bearing most 

 relation to this our earth, as appears in the Copernican 

 scheme ; yet is the distance great enough to denominate 

 the passage thither an itineration or journey." 



In conclusion the author clinches the matter to his 

 satisfaction by taking the time that the stork is absent from 

 its nesting quarters, and showing how it is utilised. Two 

 months are occupied in the upward flight of 240,000 miles, 

 three for rest and refreshment, and two more for the return 

 journey ! 



What a pity such is not actually the case, for were it so 

 how simple the problem of communicating with our next-door 

 neighbour in space. 



In the notes which follow the earlier date given is that of 

 the first observation, the locality and the observer's name. 

 The later date is that of the last observation made. My 

 thanks are again due to all those who have assisted me in the 

 work and without whose help this Report would hardly have 

 been possible. 



