254 THE ESSEX NATURALIST. 
In my 1911 paper I suggest that these nocturnal movements. 
of the Redwing cannot all be migratory. Let us assume for the 
moment that they are. The Fieldfare, like the Redwing, breeds. 
commonly in northern Europe, and is a common winter migrant 
to England ; in fact, it frequently out-numbers the Redwing 
in places where both species are well-known. To the best of 
my recollection I have not once heard any call of Fieldfare after 
dark. The voice of the Fieldfare is frequently mentioned in the 
reports of observers stationed at lighthouses. The Song Thrush 
is often on the wing after dark, even in the nesting season, when 
I hear its quick low ‘“‘ Tzip”’ at night. The “ seep ”’ call of the 
Blackbird, sometimes resembling the note of the Redwing, may 
also be heard occasionally, and I have noted the loud “ bedtime 
chuckle ”’ (so familiar in shrubberies as Blackbirds retire to 
roost) coming from a dark sky ; but the latter has been a rare 
experience. Assuming migration, why does the Redwing call 
on its inland migrations while the Fieldfare travels silently over- 
land ? 
Nor is this the only difficulty. Once the bird has accomplished 
its migration from Scandinavia to England, it is one of the 
most sedentary of birds. It is a common and a sad observation 
that when their food supply fails the Redwings are reluctant 
to leave, and perish from starvation. This tragedy was notori- 
ously obvious in Essex in the hard winters of 1916 and 1917, 
when a dozen carcases might have been found in a day’s walk. 
Such birds as Skylarks or Snipe are prompt to leave when the 
weather interferes with their feeding opportunities. This 
peculiar sedentary habit of the Redwing has been remarked by 
naturalists for a century or more. We sometimes encounter 
more or less vague statements relating to great movements 
between October and March, but probably these observa- 
tions are based only on the nocturnal voices of the passing 
birds, although actual immigrations have been watched in 
Ireland. 
There are, too, several other serious objections to the migra- 
tion explanation. Since 1920 I have made a special study of 
the bird, and have, whenever possible, devoted a period each 
night to a listening vigil. My present house is on the outskirts. 
of a large town, and stands about 750 feet above sea level ; 
exactly half a mile away a rocky summit is about 980 feet ; and, 
