MEDITERRANEAN NOTES 231 



which we went away in the cutter and explored the 

 whole of the southern side of the island, which is formed 

 of cliffs of moderate height with small caves and 

 crannies. We found several (not a great many) rock 

 doves, and shot four of them and a green sandpiper 

 (Toianus ochropus), which seemed quite out of his locality 

 amongst these rocks. A pair of peregrines had a nest, 

 which we could see in a hole of the cliff, not far from 

 the lighthouse. Saw a pair of Alpine swifts (^Cypselus 

 melba), kestrels, and one or two blue rock-thrushes. The 

 falcons seem to be of the small Mediterranean race. 

 We steamed across and anchored off Port Ercole on the 

 mainland. We also saw a common sandpiper {^Totanus 

 hypoleucus) on Giglio." 



Port Ercole 



"■^ April iT^rd. We caught a small fish, apparently of 

 the Scomber family, but with three anal or ventral fins, 

 the first sharply armed, a short prickly dorsal and long 

 caudal fin above tail very forked, and a row of prickles 

 on either side of the posterior half of the body. Eye 

 very large, snout somewhat long in proportion, bony, 

 colour light green on back with darker mackerel-like 

 markings, under parts silvery white. Tail fine, yellow, 

 about seven inches in total length. Can find nothing to 

 compare with this specimen in Couch's Fishes of Great 

 Britain. 



" Port Ercole is a small bay at the southern foot of 



