MIGRATION NOTES FROM A STEAMER. 455 



Only two or three of the Shearwaters seen, and perhaps a 

 Gannet or two. 



May 4tk.~ Position at noon : Lat. 12°"53' N., long. 43°'15 / E. 



We halted at Perim from 6 to 10.30 a.m. in order to coal. 

 The Sooty Gulls (Larus hemprichii) were common in the harbour ; 

 with them were a few Black-backed Gulls (Larus affinis). The 

 only other birds noticed were two distant flocks that appeared to 

 be composed of Pigeons. 



Sooty Gulls were very numerous for the rest of the day in 

 the Eed Sea. 



May 5th.— Position at noon : Lat. 16 0, 53'N., long. 40-42 N. ; 

 land visible all day. 



Sooty Gulls followed the ship during the morning ; a good 

 many sea-birds seen in the distance during the day were 

 probably Gulls, but one of a dark colour was apparently a 

 Gannet or Cormorant. 



About 6 p.m. a Swallow (Hirundo rustica) arrived on the 

 ship, and, after flying about for some time, settled on an 

 awning. Another bird had come aboard in the morning, but I 

 did not see it ; the description sounded like that of some species 

 of Kingfisher. 



May 6th. — Eed Sea. No sea-birds noted. 



About 8 a.m. a Dove, apparently Turtur risorius, arrived 

 from the south, and passed low over the ship. Later another 

 Dove arrived, which was clearly the Common Turtle-Dove 

 (Turtur communis). Then I observed two large Doves and a 

 smaller one flying near the ship, but could not make out whether 

 they included those seen previously or not. 



About 10 a.m. a Quail (Coturnix communis) approached the 

 ship, flying low over the waves, and then went away again in 

 the direction of the African coast. 



May 1th. — Eed Sea. No sea-birds noted. 



Only three birds were seen ; these were a Turtle-Dove 

 (Turtur communis), a Swift, which looked like Cypselus apus, 

 and headed south, and a small unidentified brown bird, which 

 was flying parallel with the ship for some time. 



May 8th.— Eed Sea. Position at noon : Lat. 20 o, 34' N., long. 

 32 '51' E. 



A Swift or Swallow seen flying southwards, and a yellowish 



