23 APRIL 1948, Page 14

THE birds that come north and west round about this

date are wont to make their first appearance with a certain regularity, for they can read the almanack in their own way ; bur'they appear to be more narrowly punctual in some other countries. Some months ago an alleged example of precise punctuality was given from Iceland ; and it has prompted a capping claim from a padre in South Australia. Every year one visitor appears with unbroken regularity exactly on September 12th. " He is Halcyon Sanctus, the sacred kingfisher who is migrant with us between Java, Celebes, etc. (roughly between 2,500-2,800 miles) and that part of Australia in the hills about 15 miles from Adelaide." The pair appear pat to the date year after year, and after some hovering finally " decide to re-nest in a hole in a stringy bark just outside our garden fence. But they frequent the garden catching tadpoles in the creek and tiny lizards which abound." I remember with much pleasure the beauty of those gardens in the hills behind Adelaide, but was not lucky enough to sec holy kingfishers. Our own English migrants have been more than usually punctual, at least in my experience, notably the swallows, first seen in my neighbourhood on April 17th.