H. LYNES: MIGRATION OF BIRDS. 149 



calculated from Egypt arrivals (except perhaps the smaller 

 evening arrival there), seems quite abnormal, and I can 

 only suggest was connected with the stormy weather 

 during the previous night. 



Herr Gaetke, in Ins " Die Vogelwarte Helgoland " 

 (p. 129, English translation), mentions a few rare instances 

 of birds, such as Thrushes, Buntings and Finches, taking 

 a rest on the water, and suggests that the habit may be 

 occasionally indulged in by such families of birds if 

 exhausted. 



The only like instance from the Mediterranean that 

 I can quote is that of a flock of Pelicans, a species essen- 

 tially associated with water, either salt or fresh. 



This happened on March 27th, 1897. H.M.S. " Scylla " 

 was steaming from Malta to Port Said, and, being some- 

 where to the north-westward of Alexandria at 5 p.m. 

 on this calm and sunny afternoon, there came a hail from 

 the man at the masthead of " Shoal on the starboard 

 bow." Knowing that the ship was in the middle of the 

 Levant, and that the nearest land was quite one hundred 

 miles away, this report was naturally received on the 

 bridge with a certain amount of suspicion. However, as 

 the ship continued on her course, it became evident to 

 those on the bridge that there was indeed a shining white 

 patch about an acre in extent on the bearing indicated. 



The ship's course was altered for this patch, which 

 turned out to be a compact flock of about five hundred 

 Pelicans, seated on the water, apparently enjoying a rest. 



These birds were presumably on their northward 

 migration, and since the weather conditions were entirely 

 favourable to migratory passage, the inference seems to 

 be that Pelicans normally have the habit of resting on the 

 water during their passage. 



As regards times of arrival on board. At night time, 

 even in such weather as has been described as favourable 

 to such visitations, birds do not, so far as my experience 

 goes, come on board ship, probably because they cannot 

 see her. Even a brilliantly lit liner would only show 



