194 Proceedings of the Royal Physical Society. 



1884 to January 1886.^ It would at first appear, from the 

 number of species given, that birds are plentiful at sea. 

 This, however, is by no means the case, as particularly in 

 the Tropics, we frequently pass days without seeing a bird, 

 and those that are seen at other times are often siuG^le 

 specimens, made out with the aid of a good glass. After 

 leaving England we generally see a few British birds as far 

 as Madeira. As we go south from that island, birds become 

 scarce, and after we pass the Bijouga islands, in Lat. 11° K, 

 they disappear almost entirely, to reappear again in about 

 Lat. 15° S. From there to the Cape they are more common, 

 and round the Cape coast are generally plentiful — numbers of 

 the Cape gannet, yellow-nosed albatross,and black petrel being 

 generally seen round the ship. Of the different species given 

 in the list, few have been actually caught or shot by me, as 

 shooting from a steamer is of course not generally permitted, 

 and if so it would be useless to the collector, as he would be 

 unable to pick up the birds when shot. Again, in port we are 

 generally busy, and have no time for collecting specimens. 



1. Falco S'ubhuteo, Linn. — Hobby. — Two seen, one in Lat. 

 42° K, Long. 11° W., and one in Lat. 26° K, Long. 17° W., 

 which latter alighted in the rigging. 



2. Strix flammea, Linn. — Barn Owl. — One seen on 28d 

 October 1885 in Lat. 35° N., Long. 15° W., which flew round 

 the ship for a short time, and then w^ent off in an easterly 

 direction. 



3. Phylloscopus trochihcs, Linn. — Willow Wren. — One 

 alighted on board on 30th August 1885 in Lat. 46° K, 

 Long. 8° W., and remained about the deck until next day, 

 when it disappeared. 



4. Motacilla, sp. ? — A wagtail, of what species I was unable 

 to determine, was seen on 3d October 1884 in Lat. 17° 30' 

 K, Long. 18° W. 



5. Alaiula arvensis, Linn. — Skylark. — One flew on board 

 in the Channel on 17th February 1885. 



6. Sylvia rufa (Bodd.) — Whitethroat. — One seen flying 



1 Having since the reading of these notes made three additional voyages out 

 and home, I have incorporated the result in the body of the paper. — Sept. 30, 

 1886. 



