The Migration of BirdsCoward, T. A. (Thomas Alfred)
Science
The Migration of Birds
Coward, T. A. (Thomas Alfred)
Birds -- Migration
Mr J. Tomison, in his valuable notes on observations made at Skerryvore
(52), shows that in ordinary clear weather birds pass at a great
height, beyond the power of vision. He proves this by instances of
the diurnal passage of redwings, birds which are generally supposed
to migrate at night, and undoubtedly do so frequently. He heard the
well-known passage-note in the daytime, but with the naked eye could
see no redwings; he found them with the telescope and later discovered
others which were passing above the range of normal vision. Mr
Eagle Clarke, commenting upon the extraordinary numbers of rare and
exceptional visitors which are noticed on many islands--Fair Island,
the Flannens, the Isle of May, and Heligoland may be taken as a few
examples--says that it is their detached position and comparatively
small size which makes these islands so useful to the observer. The same
variety of birds and greater numbers reach larger islands and tracts of
land, but they are unobserved when they are thinly distributed and not
massed or confined in a small area. "With all our great army of trained
observers," he declares, "we in Britain see only an infinitesimal number
of the migrants which visit our shores ..." and "this is especially the
case on the mainland."
During an anticyclone there is a descending movement of air currents
from a centre of high pressure in all directions, and these currents
or winds are deflected "clockwise" in the northern hemisphere; and
when cyclonic conditions prevail the air currents are directed inwards
towards a low-pressure central area, rotating spirally at the surface
of the earth in the direction contrary to the hands of a watch. In the
southern hemisphere the directions are reversed. A cyclonic system is
usually carried forward by great drift winds like eddies upon a swift
stream, in the North Atlantic as a rule from south-west to north-east.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account