26th, one flying N.N.W. before a mod. E.S.E. breeze. At S. Stack,
during August and September, a great many were seen passing from
N.E. to S.W. At Caernarvon Bay, Sept. 9th, fresh S.E. breeze, two
flying S.; and on 11th, mod. W. by S. breeze, two flying S.; 25th,
one flying W.S.W., mod. S.W. breeze: these occurrences noted about
10 a.m. in clear weather. At Helwick, Sept. 19th, 6.30 a.m., one
male flying W., fresh W.N.W. breeze. At Sevenstones, Sept. 28th,
light E.S.E. breeze, gloomy, eight, mixed, flying to N.E. At Helwick,
Oct. 4th, 6.40 a.m., fresh E.S.E. breeze, gloomy, two flying S. to
N.E. No further occurrences are reported till Nov. 20th, when, at
Scarweather, two passed up S.E., mod. N.E. breeze; and on 21st, with
S.E. breeze, four passed S.E.; 27th, strong W. breeze, seven passed
in different directions; Dec. 6th, two passed N.E., mod. W.N.W.
breeze; 12th, four N.E., a fresh W.N.W. breeze. These instances all
occurred in the daytime. Mr. Trahair reports that, at Godrevy, "from
middle of December to middle of January several about, not flying
in any particular direction"; and, again, "a great number of sprats
about,--the Gannets appear to be after them,--more so than on the
coast, through the influence of the weather."
Tern, _Sterna_ (? sp.).--At Air, Oct. 12th, a large quantity of Sea
Swallows seen, mod. N.E. breeze, gloomy, clear; the same on Oct.
12th, gentle E. breeze.
Gull, _Larus argentatus_, _L. canus_, _L. tridactylus_.--From S.
Stack we hear that, on Aug. 10th, Gulls left after breeding. At
Bideford, Sept. 1st, hundreds of common Gulls are reported as coming
every day (presumably from this date) from N.W., with Sea-pies and
Curlews, from half-ebb to half-flow. At Bishop Rock, Sept. 6th, in
calm weather and clear, a "Mackerel Bird" (? young Kittiwake) struck
(11 p.m.), but was not killed; and on 7th, 1.30 a.m., another struck.
At Usk, from Sept. 7th to Oct. 8th, large numbers of Gulls (on one
occasion three varieties) seen, with Curlews and Stints. At Caldy,
Sept. 9th, Grey Gulls seen; 10th, about a hundred Gulls, with the
note, "Bred on the island, and constantly passing." At N. Stack,
Sept. 11th, fourteen (six males and eight females) flying S., mod.
S.W. breeze. At Nash, Sept. 13th and 20th, 6 p.m., from both stations
large flocks were seen passing W., with fresh W. and W.N.W. breeze.
At N. Stack, Sept. 17th, twenty-five (thirteen males and twelve
females) are reported as flying N.E., before a strong S.W. breeze;
25th, a flock flying S., mod. S.W. breeze. At Caldy, Sept. 29th, 10
p.m., one White Gull appeared; fog and light S.E. breeze. Except Usk,
the only notices in October are from Nash, where at both stations,
on five or six occasions, flights of Gulls and young Gulls were seen
passing N. or N.W.; wind various, but more or less easterly. At
Caernarvon Bay, Sept. 30th, 4.15 p.m., a flock passed E.S.E., with
strong S.W. by W. breeze. We have no return in November. In December
one occurrence alone is noted:--At Nash (E. or high), Dec. 16th, 10
a.m., four passed N., fresh E.N.E. breeze; Jan. 9th, a small flock
of Gulls passed N. At Bull Point, Jan. 11th, 4 p.m., twenty-six Grey
Gulls passed, flying S.W., rather high; mod. N.W. breeze, cloudy,
squally, and snowy. At St. Bees, Mr. Pizey, speaking of the scarcity
of birds, says, "Even the Common Gull only makes an appearance just
before heavy weather, or in following the plough, and then in but
small numbers." From Godrevy Mr. Trahair reports, "Very few Skua
Gulls (Lestris) observed this season."
Petrel, _Thalassidroma pelagica_.--At Godrevy, Sept. 28th, 9 p.m.,
one struck, fog, light S. breeze; Oct. 4th, from 1 to 2 a.m., mod.
E.N.E. breeze, one was seen with a Lark and Wrens. Mr. Trahair adds,
"Breeds on the island, most plentiful in July; never seen in daytime,
except among loose stones, where they breed."
*Dotterel, _Charadrius morinellus_.--Reported to be seen at Smalls,
every day from October to January, with various Gulls.
Besides the above, we have a few instances of birds unknown, of
which, perhaps, the most puzzling is reported from Longships,
Sept. 8th, midnight, mod. S.S.E. gale, misty, with showers, "one
strange bird, the shape and size of a Starling, pattern and hue of
a Partridge, with its legs covered over with stiff feathers." At
Godrevy, Oct. 4th, two foreign Wrens (? Goldcrests) killed, with
Lark and Petrel. At Skerries, Oct. 13th, 16th and 17th, flocks of
small birds passed during the day, flying E. At Smalls, Oct. 26th,
before sunrise, birds unknown passed; Nov. 3rd, before sunrise,
continuous flocks were flying round the light, three struck and fell
overboard, mod. E. breeze, cloudy, but clear horizon. At N. Stack,
Nov. 12th, 7.35 a.m., fresh W. breeze, cloudy, two flocks of birds,
name unknown, flying N.E.; 26th, 3 p.m., mod. S.W. gale, drizzling
rain, fifty grey birds passed, also flying N.E. On Jan. 16th, we hear
from Longships, that at 8.15 a.m., gentle W. breeze, cloudy, but
clear horizon, "flocks of small birds were noticed at sunrise passing
westward, leaving the land, upon a change of weather from a sharp
frost and snow, and a change of wind from E. to W."
The stations are not all equally favourably situated for observing,
and a general scarcity of birds is reported from the following:--St.
Bees, Mr. Pizey writes that, for over five years that he has been
there, he has remarked "the extreme scarcity of birds of any sort As
for flocks of birds I have never witnessed them here, an occasional
Robin, Blackbird or Thrush being all the variety we see Common
Sparrows few in number." Mr. G. Knott says, "very few birds are seen
at Bull Point." From Flatholm and Usk we hear "very few land-birds
are seen, and at the former only Gulls, and they in the three winter
months alone." "The lighthouse at Avon is so close to the docks and
village that no birds come to the light "; and that at Burnham,
having "only four panes facing west, does not attract many birds."
"The land-birds to be seen in the immediate neighbourhood of Trevose
Head are very scarce." From Wolf Rock Mr. Crask writes, "Hardly ever
any birds come nigh us but Gulls, which come by thousands after fish;
the only others ever seen being Starlings, and these few and far
between."
Some stations report a marked scarcity during the past, in comparison
with other years. Thus, from Holyhead, Mr. Prichard writes, "Being
a very mild winter have not seen anything of note; not a bird
striking this winter." At Bardsey the inhabitants say they "never
observed so few birds before;" and Mr. Bowen suggests that "the
fog-horn sounding may prevent birds striking." With respect to this
we hear from Skerries that "few birds have been seen since they had a
fog-horn." At Morecambe, Caernarvon, and other stations where there
are fog signals, however, we hear of birds striking or killed. At St.
Judwalls the entire absence of Starlings for the whole winter was
remarked. (Pigeons were seen here from second week in May to first
week in August.) From Nash it is reported that "during November and
December sea-birds were very scarce, and all birds singularly scarce
at latter end of October, and extremely so during the nights both
of September and October; and, again, all sea- and land-birds have
been more scarce during the nights of the present winter than ever I
recollect" (John Richards). Mr. Nicholas attributes it to the very
mild winter. From Smalls we hear that during December no birds were
seen about the lighthouse. From Hartland Point Mr. Griffiths writes,
that "for twenty-five years he had always seen and caught birds, but
not this year; nor have any struck, as in other years." At Burnham
(Aug. 14th) and at Usk (September) a Land Rail only bird killed.
Concerning the circumstances under which birds strike, the returns
bear out the conclusions expressed in last year's report, that dark
or cloudy nights, with fog, haze or rain, are most hazardous. Three
or four exceptional instances are recorded of striking in daylight.
October and November appear to be the most dangerous months, and
South Bishop the most deadly station. Mr. T. Bowen writes, from
Bardsey, that "birds strike in general with the wind; without, very
rare exception." Mr. Crask, from Wolf Rock, in reply to a question on
which side they strike, writes, "when they strike the lantern it is
generally N.W." Other stations have not noticed.
Of the species reported on, the Starling has received by far the most
notice; and next come Larks, Crows, Wild Ducks, Gulls, Thrushes,
&c. Possibly some of the notices may refer to local migrations, or
movements from one feeding-ground to another.
The notices of the _Anatidæ_ are all in the daytime. The direction of
their flight (seldom recorded) is, sometimes, directly N. and S.;
but, to judge merely from the few recorded instances, the prevailing
direction at the following stations is N. or north-easterly--towards
the land: Caernarvon, Helwick, and Scarweather. At Smalls it appears
to be, towards the Bristol Channel, S.E. At Nash, Godrevy and
Sevenstones it is W.; while at Morecambe Bay it varies very greatly.
The lines followed by the _Insessores_ are difficult--with data
supplied by one year only--to make out, but seem to be towards the
mainland or along the coast. The following are the chief instances
where the direction is reported as being from the land:--South Stack,
Oct. 29th, 30th, 31st, Starlings flying N.W.; Bull Point, Oct. 13th,
Black Crows flying W.; South Bishop, Nov. 2nd, Blackbirds, Larks,
Starlings and Thrushes flying N.W.; Scilly, Oct. 13th, Fieldfares
flying W.; and at Wolf Rock, Jan. 16th, and Sevenstones, Jan. 11th,
two large flocks of Lapwings flying W.
The returns seem to support the conclusion expressed in last year's
report as to birds preferring to migrate with a "beam" wind, or even
a point or two abaft of beam.
* * * * *
Erratum.--Page 65, line 3, for N.E., read N.W.
[Transcriber Note: This correction has been applied.]
WEST, NEWMAN AND CO., PRINTERS, 54, HATTON GARDEN, LONDON, E.C.
* * * * *
Transcriber Note
Minor typos were corrected. Some station tables split by a page break were
rejoined.