180 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



The breeding-period lasts from May to the end of July or the 

 beginning of August. 



31. Levantine Sheabwater. 



Puffinus yelkouaniis, Acerbi. — Garnia. 



This species, reported in both Schembri's and Wright's 

 catalogues as the Manx Shearwater, is one of our sedentary 

 species. It was once rather common, but has now become 

 rather scarce. 



The site chosen by the bird for nesting is a deep crevice or 

 one of the rabbits' burrows so frequent along the southern coast 

 of the island. 



A single egg is laid, which is of a pure chalky-white colour ; 

 in size it varies considerably ; this variation equals that of the 

 eggs of the domestic hen, and as such it is often offered for sale. 



The breeding-season of this species commences towards the 

 beginning of April and goes on till the end of May. 



Often more than one egg or nestling is found in the same 

 burrow ; these are certainly, however, the produce of two or 

 more females. 



32. Mediteeranean Shearwater. 



Puffinus kuhli, Boje. — Ciefa. 



This species, which was once very numerous, has been much 

 reduced in numbers, so much so that its extermination here, 

 unless something is done to protect it seriously, will be a ques- 

 tion of the very near future. 



The bird used to breed most freely on all the islands com- 

 posing this group, and on Filfola, their chief breeding station, 

 they could be found breeding in hundreds, not to say thousands. 



The single chalky-white egg is laid in a depression of the 

 soft turf under the shelter of some large stone or in a crag in 

 the rocks ; sometimes it is simply laid on a sort of thick low 

 herbage found growing all along the cliffs overhanging the sea, 

 and especially on Filfola. 



In size this egg is a little larger than that of the foregoing 

 species, but, like it, it also varies considerably. 



