676 MEGALOPTERUS STOLIDUS. 



ties, they are seen in great flights, assiduously follomng the 

 shoals of their finny prey. They pursue them by flying near 

 the surface of the water, and may now be seen continually 

 dropping on the small fish, which approach the surflice to 

 shun the persecution of tlie greater kinds, by Avhich they are 

 also harassed. A rippling and silvery whiteness in the water 

 marks the course of the timid and tumultuous shoals ; and 

 the whole air resounds with the clangour of these gluttonous 

 and greedy birds, who, exulting or contending for success, fill 

 the air with their varied but discordant cries. Where the 

 strongest rippling appears, there the thickest swarms of 

 Noddies and sea-fowl are uniformly assembled. They fre- 

 quently fly on board of ships at sea, and are so stupid or 

 indolent on such occasions as to allow themselves to be taken 

 from the yards on which they settle ; they sometimes, how- 

 ever, when seized, bite and scratch with great resolution, 

 leading one to imagine that they are disabled often from 

 flight by excessive fatigue or hunger. Some have imagined 

 that the appearance of the Noddy at sea indicates the proxi- 

 mity of land ; but in the manner of the Common Tern they 

 adventure out to sea, and, like the mariner himself, the 

 shelter of whose friendly vessel they seek, they often voyage 

 at random for several days at a time, committing themselves 

 to the mercy of the boundless ocean, and having at certain 

 seasons no predilection for places, Avhere the climate suits, 

 the roving flocks or stragglers find equally a home on every 

 coast, shoal, or island." 



Individuals, it is stated, occasionally appear in St. 

 George's Channel ; and in the summer of 1840, as recorded 

 by Mr. Thompson, two Avere taken between the Tasker 

 Lighthouse and Dublin Bay. 



CONCLUSION. 



I HAVE finished one of the many difficult and laborious 

 tasks which I had imposed upon myself. Twelve years have 

 elapsed since the first three volumes of this work were issued 

 to the public, and I had scarcely hoped to see its completion, 

 when I was most unexpectedly encouraged to revise the 



