128 Mr. W. Thompson on migratory Birds 



in company : one only alighted on the ship, and in the even- 

 ing was caught when asleep. 



April 27. — Wind N., 45 miles from Zante, the nearest land, 

 and in sight : 60 miles W. of the Morea. A Kestrel [Falco 

 Tinnuncutus) flew close past the ship, and a " much larger 

 hawk,^^ which did not come under my own observation, was 

 stated to have been seen. 



Two females of the Oriolus Galbula which flew on board 

 were captured. Two or three males of the Muscicapa albi- 

 collis visited us today, and as many females either of this spe- 

 cies or the Pied Flycatcher [Muscicapa luctuosa), but most 

 probably the former. 



A Saxicola Rubetra and a Motacilla neglecta came to the 

 ship. About a dozen of the Hirundo rustica, which rested last 

 night on the rigging, went off this morning. Throughout the 

 afternoon and towards evening many more arrived, and con- 

 tinued flying about the ship in considerable numbers. 



A few of the Hirundo urbica appeared this morning and re- 

 mained through the early part of the day, confining their 

 flight to the lee-side of the ship : in the afternoon still more 

 were seen hawking about in company with Hir. rustica ; as 

 flies were numerous, they probably obtained plenty of food : at 

 four o'clock P.M. all of this species were gone. 



In the morning a Merops apiaster, coming from the south- 

 west, alighted for a moment on the vessel and then flew to- 

 wards Zante or in a north-east direction : soon afterwards a 

 flock consisting of fifteen came from the same quarter, hawked 

 about the leeward side of the vessel for a short time, and then 

 proceeded north-east : an hour after their departure (ten 

 o'clock) a flock of eight appeared, and alighting on a rope 

 astern the ship, remained there for nearly an hour ; they were 

 perched close together, and so low down on the rope, that by 

 its motion the lowest one was more than once ducked in the 

 water, but nevertheless did not let go its hold or change its 

 position for a drier one. These birds were but a few yards 

 from the cabin-windows, and looked so extremely beautiful, 

 that they were compared by some of the spectators to paro- 

 quets, and on account of their gaudy plumage not very in- 

 aptly. After these left us, others wei'e seen throughout the 

 day, but generally singly ; they rarely alighted : all flew in the 

 same course*. 



A few Goatsuckers [Caprimulgus Europceus) appeared about 

 the ship today and alighted ; they were all single with one ex- 



* When not very far to the westward of Cape Matapan on the 1st of May, 

 .1 flock of twenty-nine of the Merops opiasler flew close past the ship to- 

 wards the Morea. 



