52 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



Cypselus apus. — On May 9th, whilst steaming up the English 

 Channel in very fine weather, at about forty miles from south 

 coast of England, I noticed several parties of Swifts. These birds 

 were evidently migrating, for they flew straight ahead, and were 

 obviously making a "bee-line" for the English coast. They 

 were not, however, flying at any great height. 



Hirundo rustica. — I noticed one Swallow also flying in the 

 same way, and in the same direction. 



On May 10th, whilst traversing the North Sea between Dover 

 and the mouth of the Elbe, with coast of Holland just in sight, a 

 Pipit (Anthns sp.) came on board. 



Corvus comix. — At dusk on the same day, when about midway 

 between Heligoland and the German coast, a Hooded Crow 

 alighted in the rigging of the foremast. After dark the third 

 officer climbed up and caught this bird, which I should have 

 otherwise not have been able to identify. 



Saxicola oenantlie. — On May 17th, when about half-way be- 

 tween the mouth of the Elhe and Dover on the return journey, a 

 Wheatear came on board of us, evidently very much tired. 



Turtur communis and Anthus pratensis. — On May 21st, at the 

 entrance to the Bay of Biscay, but a long way from Ushant, a 

 Turtle-Dove, a Meadow-Pipit, and a Swallow came on board the 

 ship, and remained all day. On May 22nd, being now about 

 two-thirds of the way across the Bay, a second Turtle-Dove and 

 a second Swallow joined those mentioned above, and later a Sand 

 Martin (Cotile riparia) also put in an appearance. They all 

 remained by the ship, and at dusk the hands going aloft drove 

 the Turtle-Doves from their roosting-place on the fore main 

 topsail-yard, and one of them, passing over the funnel, became 

 suffocated, and was engulfed in it. On May 23rd, when we 

 neared the Portuguese coast, all the birds left us. 



The above are the few notes I was able to make of land birds 

 coming on board the ship whilst I was in the steamship ' Anselm.' 



Whilst serving in H.M.S. ' Repulse,' I have, I fear, not made 

 very many notes, and for this there are several reasons. In the 

 first place, this ship is one of a fleet, and when there are fourteen 

 ships together, as is generally the case, there are obviously 

 thirteen chances to one against a bird alighting on board of us. 

 In the second place, this is a very large ship — one of the biggest 



