44 Mr. W. R. Ogilvie Grant on Birds 



suddenly found ourselves face to face with a Hobby, and, 

 though no attempt was made on its life, we were able to 

 identify it beyond doubt. 



-~ 3. AsiO ACCIPITRINUS. 



We saw three pairs of Short-eared Owls during our stay 

 on Great Salvage, and shot one female to identify the species. 

 One or two were generally to be seen on the wing towards 

 the afternoon, working quietly up and down over the top of 

 the island with quick spasmodic wing-beats, and uttering 

 their short harsh note at intervals. On the first afternoon 

 spent there we had gone up with Miguel, our Spanish cook, 

 to get a few rabbits for the camp, and see what was to be 

 seen. It chanced that an inquisitive Kestrel and a Short- 

 eared Owl came to find out what we were after and were 

 promptly '' collected.'' Miguel gravely informed us that they 

 were respectively senor y senora of the same species ! The 

 Owls as well as the Kestrels no doubt levied a heavy toll on 

 the mice, and it pleased us to think that at least some check 

 was being put on these ruthless destroyers of the White- 

 breasted Petrels {Pelagodroma marina) and their eggs, of 

 which more anon. 



4. AnTHUS BERTHELOTl. 



One of the most numerous, as well as the tamest, of the 

 small birds on Great Salvage was Berthelot's Pipit, which 

 is also common at Madeira, the Desertas, Porto Santo, 

 and the Canaries. These little birds were our constant 

 companions, and one or two of them were almost always to 

 be seen running about among the stones and ice-plants, 

 generally within a few yards of one's feet. When we arrived 

 at Great Salvage on the 23rd of April, they had not begun 

 to breed, and were generally met with in small companies of 

 three or more, but on the last days of our visit we noted 

 that many had evidently paired, and on the 29th one or two 

 birds were seen going about with nesting-materials in their 

 bills, so the breeding-season must have been just com- 

 mencing. They apparently rear a second brood in the 

 autumn, for several of the birds we shot were in the freshly- 



