Mr. H. Saunders on the Ornithology of Italy and Spain. 391 



24'tb. Soon after 11 a.m. the land was sighted, the Skelhg 

 Rock, 700 feet high, a breeding-station of Gannets. It has a 

 very picturesque appearance, rising straight out of the sea, with 

 a pointed and serrated top, and a white line like a road wind- 

 ing round its western side. We passed at some distance. The 

 first land neared was the Bull, the westernmost of three rocks, 

 the others being called the Cow and Calf, on the last of which 

 is a lighthouse. The Bull has a passage entirely through its 

 base like an archway or tunnel, apparently (at the distance we 

 were) amply large enough for a railway train to pass through. 

 The rock itself appears like a large heap of limestone. Num- 

 bers of white sea-birds were flying around, most probably Gulls 

 and Gannets ; but the distance was too great to determine their 

 species, even with a glass ; for although the day was fine and, 

 for these stormy regions, very favourable for observation when 

 near, still the atmosphere was hazy : and I consider myself most 

 fortunate ; for one rarely has the chance of seeing this locality 

 at all, and still more rarely in fine weather. The outward- 

 bound steamers always pass in the night; and the chance is but 

 small that those homeward bound pass during daylight and 

 enjoy fine weather as well. And there are probably but few 

 days in the year when a small vessel could reach these sea- 

 bird haunts with any certainty of returning within a reasonable 

 time. From here we passed along the coast past Browhead sig- 

 nal-station, then between Cape Clear and the Fastnet Rock, on 

 which the lighthouse is now placed, to Queenstown, arriving 

 tliere at 10 p.m. Along the coast I observed numbers of Shear- 

 waters, Pvffinus anglorum — being much smaller and darker in 

 colour than P. major, and with sharper points to the wings. 

 There were also rock-birds and Kittiwakes in abundance, and a 

 few Gannets. Here my observations came to an end, excepting 

 only a few Terns seen off Holyhead the following day when we 

 arrived in the Mersey. 



XXXVI. — Notes on the Ornithology of Italy and Spain. 

 By Howard Saunders, F.Z.S. 

 Having passed the last winter and spring in Italy and Spain, 

 I am enabled to offer some farther observations upon the orni- 

 thology of those countries. 



