Disturbed Migrants Geneva is likely to become only less famous
for its birds than its politicians. The latest meeting there coincided with a rare influx of birds from the far North, probably from both Finland and Russia. Fortunately one ex-member of the secretariat of the League, Major Anthony Buxton, has made us very familiar with the birds of Geneva. His entirely charming book enables us to understand in some degree the eccentricity of the latest immigration, which has some parallel in London. Some of the London reservoirs are now almost black with coot, which is the most regular and abundant of winter visitors to Geneva, but near London the most numerous species of duck is the widgeon, while correspondents from Geneva seem to suggest that the novelty of the present sea- son in Geneva is the arrival of great numbers of mallard. It is suggested (by a Times correspondent) that the fighting in Finland is the cause of the unusual influx—of heron and snipe as well as wild duck. It may be so, but most birds (among which heron are not included) are singularly faithful to lines of migration and would be unlikely to take a new route owing to disturbance in the far North, which they would probably leave in any circumstances. As to coot, there is much evidence to show that this bird, usually an unwanted bird, is greatly on the increase.
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