458 Mr. D. A. Bannerman on the Distribution of 



principal breeding-seasons of the Madeiran Fork-tailed 

 Petrel were in December and June. He subsequently (Orn. 

 Jahrb. 1900, p. 218) came to the conclusion that this Petrel 

 did not keep to any definite breeding-season at all ; since 

 then I have not seen any opinions on this subject expressed 

 in print. 



The query naturally arises, " Why do not all these Petrels 

 breed at the same time of the year^ at any rate in the one 

 island where the conditions are exactly the same?''^ 



The equable and temperate climate of the Madeira islands 

 probably plays no small share in the matter, the birds are 

 in no hurry to leave their shores and need live in no fear of 

 being suddenly "' driven south " through stress of weather. 

 Again, Porto Santo is the known breeding-station of at least 

 six different species of Petrel and Shearwater, and it may be 

 imagined that the birds must have their work cut out to 

 fitid suitable nesting-holes, especially when, in the month of 

 June, all the larger crevices and miniature caves arc filled to 

 overflowing with Pvffinus kuhli flavirostris. 



According to different observers O. castro is non-migratory 

 — that is to say, it is to be found throughout the year in the 

 neighbourhood of Madeira. And even when it has reared 

 its young it probably does not wander very far afield. 



Breeding range in the Salvage Islands. 

 Oceanodroma castro was discovered on the Salvage Islands 

 by Mr. Ogilvie-Grant Avhen he paid a short visit to these 

 wave- washed islets in the spring of 1895. Unfortunately, 

 these Petrels had not yet come ashore to breed, and 

 Mr. Grant only succeeded in capturing a single specimen on 

 Great Salvage Island on the 21st of April. A number of 

 birds were, however, seen by day in the vicinity of the 

 islands. Mr. Grant learnt from the pilot of his boat that 

 O. castro breeds commonly on the Little Piton, but cir- 

 cumstances prevented his landing on this member of the 

 group. Schmitz includes it in his list of breeding birds 

 of the Salvages on the authority of Seiior Constantino de 

 Noronha. 



