4 REPORT ON THE MIGRATION OF BIRDS. 



flew past, seaward, ten miles from Queenstown, at noon. No 

 Petrels. 



May 14th.— Only Gulls and Puffins. 



The ' Marathon ' is again advertised to sail for Boston on 

 June 18th. 



Cunard Royal Mail Steamship, ' Gallia.' 

 At a later date Mr. Anderson sends a note on Solan Geese : — 

 " On Jan. 20th we passed numerous Solan Geese at Cape St. 

 Vincent. They could not fly, and many had a hard job to 

 flutter off on the surface sufficiently far to clear the ship. I saw 

 one black one. The others were mostly white, with yellowish 

 heads and greyish beaks. They all had the appearance of being 

 fully fledged. One Eobin stayed a day on board between Naples 

 and Burriana, in Spain." 



We suspect the regular appearance of Solans so far to the 

 southward will turn out to be closely associated with the 

 migrations of fish, possibly pilchards ; and that, gorged with 

 these fish, they were unable to rise off the water, this difficulty not 

 arising from any state of moult in the bird's plumage. — J.A.H.B. 



Union Steamship 'Athenian.' — First Voyage, 1884. 



Thanks also to Mr. Spearman Swinburne, of Union Steam- 

 ship 'Athenian,' I have several good schedules returned from 

 two voyages — one in spring, between April 5th and 29th ; and 

 the second between Aug. 24th and Oct. 4th. 



April 5th. — One Robin, one Yellowhammer, a flock of Jack- 

 daws, three Lapwings, and one Crested Lark' (A. cristata), 

 between 7 a.m. and 2 p.m. ; strong S.S.E. ; v. c. r. The Bobin 

 alighted, so did the Yellowhammer. The Jackdaws were flying 

 to eastward. The Lapwings followed the ship, and the Crested 

 Lark alighted on board. The Bobin and Yellowhammer were 

 seen in lat. 53° N., long. 9° E.; the others in lat. 54° N., long. 

 10° E. 



April 12th. — Seven Bed-throated Divers, flying E.; one lot 

 of three, the rest singly, all with white throats ; 6 to 7 a.m. ; 

 light N.W., clear; off Schelling light-vessel. 



April 20th. — One Wheatear, 2 p.m. till dark ; light N.E., v. c. ; 

 alighted on board. Lat. 46° N., long. 8° W. 



April 22nd. — Bulwer's Petrels, throughout the morning ; 



