439 
Mr, C. A. Wright's Visit to Filfla. 
When leaving Filfla about 5 p.m., a cutter-yacht bore up for 
the island. Finding there were friends on board, we pulled 
alongside, and took three or four of the yachting party ashore 
in our boat. Wishing them good sport, we then took a fresh 
departure, and, hoisting our sail, made for the mainland, if I 
may so call it, which we reached in about an hour, amusing 
ourselves by the way in expending our remaining powder and 
shot at the Shearwaters (Puffinus driereus ), that appeared in 
considerable numbers. I suppose the other Shearwater (Puffinus 
anglorum ) is more crepuscular, as in my frequent visits to the 
island, and excursions round the coast of Malta, I never met 
with it flying in the daytime, whilst Puffinus dnereus was almost 
always to be seen. 
In concluding this brief notice of Filfla, I will say a word as 
to its geological features. From a cursory examination, it 
appears to me to consist chiefly of the upper formation of 
Malta—the coralline limestone of Capt. Spratt, R.N.; and the 
whole island seems to have sunk considerably since the period 
when it first emerged from the sea. It probably at one time 
was joined to Malta ; but now a deep channel, three or four miles 
wide, separates it. On the day we visited it, a strong current 
was setting through the channel from the south-east, in a 
contrary direction to the wind. Below the upper stratum is a 
stratum of marl, in which are imbedded a good many Pectines , 
Terebratulce , and other fossils. It is impossible to ascertain how 
far this stratum extends downwards, from the immense masses 
of limestone that have become detached from the top, and lie in 
endless confusion all round the base of the island, and may be 
detected on the sea-bottom to a considerable distance off the 
shore, which is entirely made up of their debris. On the 
side facing Malta, a large portion of the island fell away 
during the great earthquake that devastated Candia in 1856, 
which was severely felt all over Malta and Gozo. It is said that, 
ever since this landslip, a great diminution in the number of 
Pigeons breeding on the rock has been observed. The noise 
made in its descent into the sea, I am assured, was distinctly 
heard on the opposite coast of Malta. In many places deep 
fissures and cracks may be seen in the superincumbent limestone, 
