430 
Mr. C. A. Wright’s Visit to Filfla. 
cyanea) also had their nest in the same neighbourhood. Stepping 
over the rocks, I disturbed a Black Snake ( Coluber viridijlavus) 
sunning itself, but it wriggled away into a hole in a wall before 
I could catch hold of it. This, as well as the other Snake ( Ccelo - 
peltis leopardina) found in Malta, is quite harmless. In a 
narrow inlet of the sea, where there is a slip for hauling up 
boats, we found a little caique , or native fishing-boat. We agreed 
with the owners for five shillings that they should take us over 
to Filfla and bring us back. The weather was very favourable 
for our purpose. The heat was moderate, and the sea smooth, 
though with a slight swell. Our crew, consisting of two stout 
lads, rowed us over in fifty-five minutes. We made for the best 
landing-place on the south side of the islet, where the sea was 
perfectly smooth. The Bock-Pigeons, disturbed at our approach, 
flew out of the holes and crannies, and wheeled round to the 
other side of the rock out of sight. A few screeching Swifts 
were flying high overhead. It is not often one gets a shot at the 
Pigeons from the boat. The huge masses of rock that have 
fallen from the sides of the island intervene, and place a con¬ 
siderable distance between the birds and the sea. The island 
itself, too, is upwards of 150 feet high, and the Pigeons mostly 
affect the more elevated parts. Just before landing, a Turtle- 
Dove ( Columba turtur) flew out within shot, and fell to the gun 
of one of our party. The first thing that strikes the naturalist 
on setting his foot on shore are the innumerable black Lizards 
that dart across his path, or lie basking in the sun’s rays within 
a few feet of him. On reaching the higher parts they become 
even more plentiful, and are to be seen moving quickly away in 
all directions at every step he takes, hiding themselves in the 
crevices of the rocks, or under the stones and such wild plants 
as are sufficiently foliaceous to afford them momentary protection. 
Such plants are the sea-samphire ( Crithmum maritimum) , very 
abundant on the lower parts of the island ; and the thorny arti¬ 
choke ( Cynara korrida :), exceedingly plentiful on the rocky 
plateau on the summit, which is almost entirely covered with 
the rich green leaves of this handsome thistle, now in flower. 
As might be expected, the Scilla maritima, or common squill of 
commerce, is not uncommon; and I also observed a kind of wild 
