I9i6. 
]\\tti<:n — Tree-Pipit on Tuskar Rock. 
91 
a Tree-Pipit. Probably on striking it was killed outright, 
or descended to the rock mortally wounded, where it expired 
shortly, and having lain five weeks (its carcase affording 
food for voracious invertebrates), it may, for aught we 
know, have been this self same bird which Mr. Glanville 
discovered in such a fragmentary state, and which forms 
the subject of this paper. The creatures which devoured 
the major part, left a sufficient amount of the skeleton and 
feathers intact to enable me to identify the species beyond 
doubt. 
Conclusions. 
The identification of another Tree-Pipit from Tuskar 
light-station is per se interesting, but particularly so in 
this case as it affords us objective evidence of the presence 
of the species in the plural number in the same season, in 
the same phase of migration, i.e., autumnal, and probably in 
the company of others of its own kind on the same night. All 
these points go to show that it was not a migratory waif,^ 
wafted by storm or other adverse factor from its customary 
route, but that it was pursuing its regular migration. 
Nor was it travelling in solitude, for in addition to the 
company of its own species already mentioned, I learn 
from Mr. Glanville" that the following were identified 
by him at the lantern on the night that we have 
supposed it met its fate : — A Tern, many Wheatears, 
Spotted Flycatchers, Sedge-Warblers, Willow-Warblers, 
Chiffchaffs, Greater Whitethroats, and Meadow-Pipits. 
{}) It is sometimes difficult to say whether a bird which strikes the 
lantern forcibly, but goes off, has been killed outright or only disabled. 
For imless the spinal cord or medulla of the brain has been injured, the 
reflexes would not necessarily come to a standstill, consequently instead of 
the bird falling like a stone it might descend obliquely with quivering 
wings. Therefore this bird in question which Mr. Glanville saw striking 
and going off " disabled" may have been killed outright, thereby cor- 
roborating the evidence of instantaneous death as indicated by the con- 
dition of the skull in the bird found five weeks later. As a matter of 
fact the nature of the lesions on that skull, while sufficiently severe to 
cause instant death by brain compression and hsemorrhage, was 
nevertheless not in the region of that part of the brain or spinal cord 
which if injured would put a stop immediately to all muscular movements. 
(^) Vide ray articles on " Aquatic W^arbler on Migration obtained on 
Tuskar Rock," Zoologist, March, 1915, pp. 82-92, and on " Icterine Warbler 
on Migration obtained on Tuskar Rock," ibid, February, 1916, pp. 
41-63, where T make special allusion to the question of migratory wpafs. 
(^) J. Glanville in hit. 
