Mr. C. A. Wright's Visit to Filfla. 439 



When leaving Filfla about 5 p.m., a cutter-yacht bore up for 

 the island. Finding there were friends on board, we pulled 

 alongside, and took three or four of the yachting party ashore 

 in our boat. Wishing them good sport, we then took a fresh 

 departure, and, hoisting our sail, made for the mainland, if I 

 may so call it, which we reached in about an hour, amusing 

 ourselves by the w^ay in expending our remaining powder and 

 shot at the Shearwaters [Puffinus cinereus), that appeared iu 

 considerable numbers. I suppose the other Shearwater [Puffinus 

 anylorum) is more crepuscular, as in my frequent visits to the 

 island, and excursions round the coast of Malta, I never met 

 with it flying in the daytime, whilst Puffinus cinereus was almost 

 always to be seen. 



In concluding this brief notice of Filfla, I will say a word as 

 to its geological features. From a cursory examination, it 

 appears to me to consist chiefly of the upper formation of 

 Malta — the coralline limestone of Capt. Spratt, R.N.; and the 

 whole island seems to have sunk considerably since the period 

 when it first emerged from the sea. It probably at one time 

 was joined to Malta ; but now a deep channel, three or four miles 

 wide, separates it. On the day we visited it, a strong current 

 was setting through the channel from the south-east, in a 

 contrary direction to the wind. Below the upper stratum is a 

 stratum of marl, in which are imbedded a good many Pectines, 

 Terebratula, and other fossils. It is impossible to ascertain how 

 far this stratum extends downwards, from the immense masses 

 of limestone that have become detached from the top, and lie in 

 endless confusion all round the base of the island, and may be 

 detected on the sea-bottom to a considerable distance off* the 

 shore, which is entirely made up of their debris. On the 

 side facing Malta, a large portion of the island fell away 

 during the great earthquake that devastated Candia in 1856, 

 which was severely felt all over Malta and Gozo. It is said that, 

 ever since this landslip, a great diminution in the number of 

 Pigeons breeding on the rock has been observed. The noise 

 made in its descent into the sea, I am assured, was distinctly 

 heard on the opposite coast of Malta. In many places deep 

 fissures and cracks may be seen in the superincumbent limestone, 



