Zoological Society. ®§ 



all over the island. There is a variety here which is darker in its 

 plumage and in the colour of its feet than the common Rock Pigeon. 



The Red-legged Partridge is shot on the serras. 



The Quail is more plentiful than the Partridge, and approaches 

 nearer to the habitations of man ; it pairs, laying about sixteen eggs, 

 and has three or four broods in the season. 



The Woodcock is found chiefly in the west, and on the Paul da 

 Serra, sometimes plentifully. It is a large bird, but I think of in- 

 ferior flavour ; it breeds in the island, and is met with throughout 

 the year. 



The Tern appears chiefly at the Dezerta islands and at Point Sao 

 Louren90. 



The Herring Gull is common everywhere ; Dr. Renton says it 

 is quicker by some months in obtaining its mature plumage than 

 with us. 



The Cinereous Shearwater breeds plentifully on the Dezerta islands ; 

 its cry, whether on the wing or on shore, is very remarkable ; the 

 natives salt it and consider it eatable. 



The Manks Shearwater is also very plentiful at the Dezertas ; it is 

 easily distinguished from the Dusky Petrel, which is another inha- 

 bitant of the Dezertas, by its superior size, and by the colour of its 

 feet. In the Dusky Petrel the feet are bluish ash-colour, and in the 

 Manks Shearwater flesh-colour ; in the Dusky Petrel all the secre- 

 tions are green, and in the Manks Shearwater yellow. The Dusky 

 Petrel is a very tame bird, and will live upon almost anything ; it 

 runs along the ground on its belly, and uses its curious- shaped bill 

 in climbing up the rocks. 



The Angel Petrel of Heineken has the tail slightly forked, and 

 differs from the other smaller Petrels in having no white about the 

 rump or flanks ; it is entirely uniform black ; it is very common on 

 the Dezerta islands; when approached it emits a highly offensive 

 matter. 



The Bulwer's Petrol, as described by Sir Wm. Jardine *, I never 

 saw at Madeira, nor have I ever met with any one that has seen it 

 there. Sir "Wm. Jardine says, " it is easily distinguished from any 

 other, by having the two centre tail-feathers elongated, as in the genus 

 Lestris, and not even or forked, like the other Petrels." It is pro- 

 bably identical with the Angel Petrel. 



There is another Petrel, called by the natives " Roque de Castro," 

 pronounced "Roque de Crasto," which differs from any I have ever 

 seen described; it approaches perhaps nearer to Leach's Petrel than 

 any other, though the shape of the bill alone is sufficient to separate 

 it from that species. It is common on the Dezerta islands, where it 

 breeds, though it is by no means so abundant as the Angel Petrel. 



* Sir "W. Jardine on the Birds of Madeira, ' Edinb. Journ. of Nat. and Geog. 

 Science,' Jan. 1830, p. 245, and 'Illustrations of Ornithology,' by Jardine and 

 Sdby. 



