Lord Lilford's Cruise in the Mediterranean. 23 



many other species. From the market I obtained common 

 Hobby, Orange-legged Falcon, Little Kestrel, Scops Owl, 

 Common Cuckoo (some of this species in the red plumage), 

 Bee-eater, Common Nightjar, Rock-Thrush, Russet Wheat- 

 ear, and a few other common birds. The Quails were drop- 

 ping in, but I did not hear of any very remarkable arrival 

 during our stay, though I believe the vernal migration of this 

 species was this year very exceptionally abundant throughout 

 the south of Europe. A considerable number of Solitary 

 Snipes [Gallinago major) were shot in Malta during our stay ; 

 and I heard from a Neapolitan friend that he had killed many 

 more than usual of this species in May in the marshes near 

 Psestum. 



We left Malta Harbour about mid-day. May 7th, for 

 Palermo, and carried a fine ten- knot breeze from the east- 

 ward till after dark, when we were off the Sicilian coast, 

 between Alicata and Girgenti. The wind then suddenly 

 flew round to W.N.W., and freshened into a gale, against 

 which we beat for some hours, without making much way ; 

 so, about 3 A.M. on the morning of May 8th, we made up our 

 minds to try the other way round, and ran along in smooth 

 water under the Sicilian land, till sunset left us becalmed off 

 Taormina. We made but little way through the night, but 

 got a light air soon after daybreak, which took us up abreast 

 of Messina, whither we sent a boat for provisions, and lay 

 off and on, waiting for the flying squadron under Admiral 

 Randolph, who left Malta a few hours after us, and had kindly 

 promised to give us a tow in case of need. The ships came up 

 under easy steam about 3 p.m. ; and the ' Topaze ' towed us out 

 through the Straits, and cast us off at 6 p.m. We found a 

 heavy swell and hardly any wind outside, and passed a very 

 uncomfortable night. At daylight we were off Volcano, one 

 of the Lipari Islands, with the squadron hull down ahead of 

 us. We at last got a fair breeze, about noon; and the 

 squadron having stopped steaming and made sail, we over- 

 hauled them about 4 p.m., ran between their lines, and got 

 into Palermo about 9 p.m. ; very dark and torrents of rain. 

 We remained at Palermo till May 15th. The weather during 



