470 THE ZOOLOGIST. 
were 170 miles west of Ireland and 360 miles S.W. of St. Kilda, in 
lat. 53° 5)’ N. On that day Fulmars surrounded the ship, and 
never left us again until we were past the north-water of Baffin 
Bay and embayed in the ice of Smith Sound. This observation of 
mine corroborates that of the late Professor Goodsir :—“ Two days 
after we left Stromness, I noticed numbers of the Mollemoke or 
Fulmar Petrel, Procellaria glacialis, following us. When to the 
southward of lat. 53° they disappeared entirely ; but whenever we 
were to the northward of that parallel, the whalers’ constant com- 
panion, the ‘ Molly, again made its appearance, and we were never 
without numbers of them to enliven us throughout the remainder 
of the voyage.” * 
October 24th, 450 miles from Cape Clear; wind S.W. A 
Starling alighted on the ship during the morning watch, and was 
captured. Greater Shearwaters, Kittiwakes, and Storm Petrels in 
attendance. 
October 25th, 255 miles from the Skelligs. A Snipe, Scolopax 
gallinago, seen by me, also several small land birds chirping about 
the upper rigging. 
October 26th, 129 miles from the Skelligs. A Snipe and a Sky 
Lark came on board and were captured. Several Greater Shear- 
waters about. 
October 27th. The Greater Shearwaters followed our ship to 
within ten miles of the coast of Kerry, and then we left them. 
When we were off the Great Skelligs, numerous parties of Manx 
Shearwaters passed the ship. 
My belief is that the land birds we met with so far out in the 
Atlantic had been carried there by strong south-easterly gales. 
In all probability, before crossing half the width of the Atlantic, 
they would be met by westerly winds, the prevailing ones in that 
part of the ocean, and if not too worn out might again reach 
European land. It is not, however, difficult to imagine how such 
birds might be transported to Greenland. 
* *Aretic Voyage,’ R. A. Goodsir, 1850. 
