To the Commissioners of Irish Lights we are indebted for the facilities afforded us in conducting this enquiry. We have to thank Captain Boxer, R.N., Inspector of Irish Lights, for his friendly co-operation—his knowledge of the coast and intimate acquaintance with the light stations rendered his advice and assistance especially valuable.
On the whole the returns have been as satisfactory as was anticipated; some of the schedules have been carefully filled, and although others contain very few entries, this is to be accounted for rather by the absence of migratory birds than by any unwillingness on the part of the light-keepers to assist us. When we remember their many and various duties, and that the observations are entirely voluntary, there is reason to be well contented with the first attempt of this kind to collect information on the Irish coast; and we return our sincere thanks to all the lighthouse-keepers who have given their time and attention to the subject.
The entries in all the schedules have been collected under each day of the month as they occur; this method of arrangement shows the movements of all birds as entered on each day, and the number of observations on that day. The effect of the weather on the migratory movement can thus be studied, and the general direction of flight of the various species compared.
The daily weather-charts show last winter to have been exceptional in the number and violence of the cyclonic disturbances, which moved generally in a north-easterly direction along our west coasts; but the entries in the schedules are too few to generalise or draw any conclusions regarding the influence of the successive storms on the migratory movement.
A table showing the days on which entries were made in the schedules has been drawn up in, the hope that, if the extent of the migratory movement on any particular day varied with the number of entries, some inference could be drawn; but here also generalisation is premature.
In a few returns names are given to birds from which it is not easy to identify the species, and occasionally there is reason to fear one species has been mistaken for another. In all cases, however, the name entered in the schedule has been allowed to stand without comment.
The general remarks of the light-keepers are given consecutively, and as contributions to the Ornithology of the lighthouses they are interesting.
A table showing the number of birds striking each lantern, the number of daily entries in each return, the number of species of birds mentioned in each schedule in the daily entries, the height of each lantern above high-water mark, and its approximate distance from the mainland is given.
Whatever results are obtained from this investigation, they will only be arrived at by patiently collecting observations for some years. If the light-keepers continue to assist us, this can readily be done—without their co-operation annually we are helpless.
Alexander G. More.
Richard M. Barrington.