THE ZooLocist—FEsruary, 1872. 9921 
the southward of the Eddystone, the day being perfectly calm 
and the sea like glass, we steamed right into the midst 
of an enormous flock, and, as we passed through them, 
very few attempted to rise, those that did appearing to 
have great difficulty in getting off the water, owing, I thought, 
to the want of a breeze to help them; many scuffled over the 
surface for a hundred yards or so, and settled, but the greater part 
preferred swimming out of the way; I did not observe one attempt 
to dive. Among this host (I can form no idea of their numbers, 
for the sea was dotted with them all round the ship as far as one 
could see) not a single immature bird was visible, and at the time 
I thought it a remarkable fact, but I have since learnt that the old 
and young almost invariably keep apart. On another occasion, 
when some thirty miles to the southward of the Skelligs, small rocky 
islands on the south-west coast of Ireland, we passed a small party 
of young birds: the day was boisterous, and they were flying very 
Jow, and came quite close to the ship. It is strange one does not 
see the young birds oftener: where do they goto? And now to 
return to the present time: while watching these gannets, a harsh 
note just behind startled me, and, on looking round, | saw a fine 
old male ring ouzel, perched on an ant-hill a short distance 
from me; it was a fearless bird, and never moved when I rose to 
go away, and I could hear it call long after I lost sight of it. The 
strong breeze had brought many birds to the sheltered cliffs to 
roost: stonechats and titlarks were plentiful, and as I was leaving, 
shortly before dusk, a flock of thirty or forty missel thrushes 
arrived, but seemed uneasy at my presence, and would not 
settle down anywhere quietly. Scopula ferrugalis was started 
from a stunted gorse bush close to where I sat: it flew a short 
distance and pitched on a plant of Galium, from whence I easily 
boxed it. 
GERVASE F. MATHEW. 
Admiralty House, Devonport, 
November 1, 1871. 
A few Ornithological Notes from Guernsey. 
By Cecit Smitu, Esq. 
As I have lately been paying a short visit to Guernsey,—from the 
Ist to the 16th of November,—I send you a few ornithological 
