244 Philip Gosse—Birds of the Balearic Islands


rewarding of the three islands from the point of view of migration.

During the whole of our visit there seemed to be a large amount of

migration going on, especially of Warblers and Wagtails. The only

birds nesting were two pairs of .Kestrels ; one in the wall of our

“ fonda ” at St. Eulalia. All the Fringillidae were in full song, but of

the Sylviidse only the Blackcaps. The whole country was exceedingly

dry, and was supplied by innumerable wells ; the water is pumped up

by means of a primitive wheel turned by donkeys or cattle. Lastly,

I must mention that the inhabitants are, without exception, hospitable

and courteous, and allowed us to go where we liked and do what we

wished, although their usual politeness gave way to laughter when

they discovered me setting traps for Field-Mice.


Great care has to be taken when out collecting birds; the whole

country except the marshes and hills is highly cultivated, and it is

very difficult sometimes to see if anybody is working behind the bush

or hedge which contains the bird you particularly wish to procure.

Owing to this a few birds I should liked to have got for identification

had to be allowed to escape. To study the birds of this group com¬

pletely would necessitate at least two years’ residence in the islands;

or several visits in the spring and autumn should be undertaken if

“ migration ” is the principal object of investigation.


It had always struck me from studying the map of Western Europe

that the Balearic group would prove to be a good place to watch bird

migration, and my hurried journey of three weeks confirmed this

belief. Unfortunately the War prevented me going again, and now,

when I should like to continue and complete the work 1 commenced

in 1914, circumstances prevent me from doing so.


It is surprising to me that these very accessible islands have been

so long neglected by ornithologists ; but it appears that this neglect is

now over, as Mr. H. F. Witherby has been there this summer, and I hear

of several other ornithologists who are making arrangements to go

there shortly.


I have to thank Mr. Ogilvie-Grant for kindly looking over the

sixty-five skins I brought back, and Mr. David Bannerman for revising

these notes from material in the Natural History Museum. Some of

the specimens are still under examination by Mr. Bannerman at the



