Mediterranean Ornithology. 269 



night off Porto Ercole on the south side of Mount Argentaro. 

 We remained at anchor during the next day ; our steward, on 

 going ashore at the little town in the morning for provisions, 

 was accosted by a lady who spoke fluent English, and assisted 

 him greatly in his market operations. The only description 

 that I could obtain from him of this most obliging signora 

 was that she was " a real lady," with rings on her fingers, a 

 crinoline, and silk stockings. Two of our party who went 

 ashore for a walk in the afternoon described a pretty English- 

 looking country, with a good road, fences of whitethorn, 

 bramble, &c., and a profusion of wild flowers. This is a 

 good anchorage in northerly winds, and we were assured 

 that the southerly winds never came " right home," though 

 our vessel rolled unpleasantly in a south-easterly swell 

 through the night. A good specimen of the Subalpiue 

 Warbler [Sylvia subalpina, ^ ) was picked up dead on our 

 deck at daybreak of April 24th. At about 7.30 a.m. we got 

 our anchor, and steamed away for Gianutri, about eleven 

 miles from Porto Ercole, where we found a perfectly snug 

 land-locked harbour in the little gulf of Palmatoja, on the 

 eastern side of the island, which consists of low undulating 

 country, thickly overgrown with scrub, and abounding in 

 rabbits. We found a party of Neapolitan fishermen estab- 

 lished in a creek of our little gulf, and purchased from them 

 various fishes. Amongst these were a fine specimen of the 

 Greater Forkbeard [Phycis blennoides) , also some small fry, 

 amongst which, with our infinitesimal acquaintance with 

 ichthyology, we identified Pagellus erythrinus, Murcena helena, 

 a very curious fish of the genus Cottus, and great abundance of 

 small brilliantly coloured Wrasses, Blennies, and others. We 

 found it very difficult to understand these Neapolitans, who 

 seemed to have a great deal to tell; but as the swell outside 

 was too heavy to allow of a boating expedition round the 

 island, we obtained most of our zoological information from 

 one of the lighthouse keepers, who told us that as the greater 

 part of the island was rented by some gentlemen of Leghorn 

 for shooting, he was reluctantly obliged to prevent our sport- 

 ing ashore. He also declared most positively and repeatedly 



