MIGRATION NOTES FROM A STEAMER. 457 



of the lands viewed were allowed us, so I am unable to say 

 whereabouts the birds noted below were met with. 



May 12th. — Mediterranean Sea. The only birds about were 

 a few brown-and-white Shearwaters (Pujfmus sp. ?), and a small 

 Hawk, possibly a Kestrel, which passed over, going towards the 

 African coast. 



May 13th. — Mediterranean Sea. Crete viewed in the morn- 

 ning. A Dove was seen in the morning ; another arrived from 

 an easterly direction about 5 p.m., and one, perhaps the same, 

 was still about at dusk. All were apparently Turtle-Doves 

 (Turtur communis). A Swallow (Hirundo rustica) was flying 

 about the ship for an hour or two before noon. 



About 5.30 p.m. a flight of five or six House-Martins 

 (Chelidon urbica), accompanied by a single Sand-Martin (Cotile 

 riparia) arrived, and the House-Martins kept on settling on the 

 ship and following it until dusk. 



Two or three Shearwaters were seen, and there were a few 

 Herring-Gulls about all day : one came near enough for me to 

 distinguish the yellow legs of the Yellow-legged Herring-Gull 

 (Lams cachinnans) . 



May 14th. — Mediterranean Sea ; no land visible all day. 

 This was a great day for migration. Many Turtle-Doves 

 (Turtur communis) were observed at different times, on one 

 occasion seven or eight arriving together. 



A very large flight of House-Martins (Chelidon urhica), accom- 

 panied by a few Sand-Martins (Cotile riparia) and Swallows 

 (Hirundo rustica) arrived about 4 p.m. Some of these were very 

 exhausted, and were caught by the hand as they settled on the 

 upper works and decks, and I fancy that several must have died. 

 The stomachs of a House-Mai tin and Sand-Martin that I 

 examined were empty. A few House-Martins were also observed 

 throughout the day, and a flight of about thirty were following 

 the ship in the evening and settling in rows on the ropes that 

 secured one of the after boats. 



A male Red-footed Falcon (Falco vespcrtinus) arrived in the 

 afternoon, and, failing to catch any of the House-Martins at 

 which he struck, took up his station on the davits of a boat. A 

 Lascar climbed up the davit, and with a quick grab caught in 

 his hand the little Falcon, which was sitting all unsuspicious. 

 Zool. 4th ser., vol. XX., December, 1916. ll 



