RAPIDITY OF FLIGHT. 95 



sibly, from their native shores, by gales of wind, and 

 no doubt often perishing in the waters, but still 

 leaving survivors enough to give evidence of their 

 uncommon strength of wing. Thus our well-known, 

 cheerful little bird, the Tomtit (Par us major), has 

 been met with in latitude 40 north and longitude 

 48 west, above 920 miles from land*; but a still 

 more extraordinary instance, both as regards distance 

 from land and situation, is that of a common Titlark 

 (Alauda pratensis) having alighted on board a vessel 

 from Liverpool, in latitude 47 4' south, longitude 

 43 19' west, in Sept. 1825, at a distance of at least 

 1300 miles from the nearest main land of South 

 America, and about 900 from the wild and barren 

 island of Georgia. The poor little traveller was 

 taken, and brought back to Liverpool, where it was 

 seen by Dr. Traill, one of our most eminent natu- 

 ralists. An Owl has been also seen gliding over the 

 midst of the Atlantic Ocean, with as much apparent 

 ease as if it had been seeking for mice amongst its 

 native fields. To the distant voyages of this bird, 

 we can indeed bear our own testimony, when sailing 

 in the Mediterranean. At daylight a brown Owl 

 was observed on the main-top-gallant yard, and 

 secured by an active sailor: for three or four days 

 it was detained, but as it appeared to pine, it was 

 again turned adrift. At first it seemed bewildered, 

 but after wheeling round the ship twice or thrice, 

 it steered, direct as an arrow from a bow, for the 

 nearest land, distant about eighty miles. 



We cannot, after this, be surprised to hear, that 

 certain seafaring birds are constantly found at a 



* Forster's North America, vol. i. 



