436 Mr. C. A. Wright's Visit to Filfla. 



ajanea) also had their nest in the same neighbourhood. Stepping 

 over the rocks, I disturbed a Black Snake {Coluber viridiflavus) 

 sunning itself, but it wriggled away into a hole in a wall before 

 I could catch hold of it. This, as well as the other Snake {Coelo- 

 peltis leopardina) found in Malta, is quite harmless. In a 

 narrow inlet of the sea, where there is a slip for hauling up 

 boats, we found a little caique, or native fishing-boat. We agreed 

 with the owners for five shillings that they should take us over 

 to Filfla and bring us back. The weather was very favourable 

 for our purpose. The heat was moderate, and the sea smooth, 

 though with a slight swell. Our crew, consisting of two stout 

 lads, rowed us over in fifty-five minutes. We made for the best 

 landing-place on the south side of the islet, where the sea was 

 perfectly smooth. The Rock-Pigeons, disturbed at our approach, 

 flew out of the holes and crannies, and wheeled round to the 

 other side of the rock out of sight. A few screeching Swifts 

 were flying high overhead. It is not often one gets a shot at the 

 Pigeons from the boat. The huge masses of rock that have 

 fallen from the sides of the island intervene, and place a con- 

 siderable distance between the birds and the sea. The island 

 itself, too, is upwards of 150 feet high, and the Pigeons mostly 

 afl'ect the more elevated parts. Just before landing, a Turtle- 

 Dove [Columha turtur) flew out within shot, and fell to the gun 

 of one of our party. The first thing that strikes the naturalist 

 on setting his foot on shore are the innumerable black Lizards 

 that dart across his path, or lie basking in the sun's rays within 

 a few feet of him. On reaching the higher parts they become 

 even more plentiful, and are to be seen moving quickly away in 

 all directions at every step he takes, hiding themselves in the 

 crevices of the rocks, or under the stones and such wild plants 

 as are sufficiently foliaceous to afibrd them momentary protection. 

 Such plants are the sea-samphire [Crithmum maritimum), very 

 abundant on the lower parts of the island ; and the thorny arti- 

 choke [Cynara horrida), exceedingly plentiful on the rocky 

 plateau on the summit, which is almost entirely covered with 

 the rich green leaves of this handsome thistle, now in flower. 

 As might be expected, the Scilla maritima, or common squill of 

 commerce, is not uncommon ; and I also observed a kind of wild 



