WHEN THE NIGHTINGALES MIGRATE

Dominion, Volume 21, Issue 84, 7 January 1928, Page 3

WHEN THE NIGHTINGALES MIGRATE

Sir,—ln England the nightingale regularly migrates in the autumn to Southern France and thereabouts. Its flight takes the birds over only a short sea distance,while its route affords ample resting places.. But what about the recent unlicensed importations to New Zealand? The birds cannot know otherwise than that they are still in the land of (heir birth, and about March, four charming little nightingales, living in a strange land, will set forth as i sual for their winter home. Full of confidence and with joy in their little hearts they will rise, taking their bearings from the sun, as their ancestors have dona from ages and ages past. Rapidly their frail wings will carry them forward over the sea. How eagerly they will look for the land, the direction of which their God-given instincts have planted in their breasts. They will look in vain, but still onward and onward will they press, until at last, no long appearing in sight, the biids, now tired and exhausted, will fly round and round in great circles, peering far and wide over the endless sea for the land which is not there. Each circle will bring them closer and nearer to the nowseemingly relentless waves._ Slowly but surelv their wing . beats will grow less rapid, and faster beat each little heart, until at last a wave is touched and the sea claims our four little nightingales, which would next year have been singing their own sweet songs "in England’s woods had they not been wrenched from their native land to satisfy a desire to repeat an experiment which students of such matters know must be doomed fo failure. It is to be trusted that the authorities at either end will see to it that future re_petitions of such experiments are an impossibility.—l am. etc., ANTI-CRUELTY. Wellington, January 6.