Mr. W. Thompson on migratory Birds. 125 mandibulisque porrectis, apertis, longitudine cornu clypei, intus ad basin multi-dentatis, pronoto serie punctorum margine antico, parallela, punctisque duobus majoribus versus angulos posticos. Long. corp. 1 unc. Habitat Thibet. Mus. Melly. XVII. — Notice of migratory Birds which alighted on, or were seen from, H.M.S. Beacon, Capt. Graves, on the passage from Malta to the Morea at the end of April 1841. By Wm. Thompson, Esq., Vice-Pres. Nat. Hist. Society of Belfast. Having been favoured by my friend Capt. Graves, R.N., with an invitation to accompany him during the projected government survey of the island of Candia, I, with Mr. E. Forbes (who had received from the Admiralty the honorary appointment of Naturalist on the occasion), left Malta in H.M.S. Beacon on the 21st of April. The first port we sailed for was Navarino, for the purpose of watering the ship. The passage occupied seven days. It being just the period of the year when many species of birds which make Europe their abode only in the more genial seasons, were, after having passed the winter in Africa, crossing the Mediterranean to their summer quarters, we were often gratified by a sight of them, either passing, resting briefly on the rigging, or re-maining sometimes so long as a day or more about the ship. The following notes were made upon the subject. The prevailing wind of the day is set down : the progress noted is what we had made at sunset. April 22.— AVind W., forty miles E. of Malta. An Owl alighted on the vessel and remained a short time. I saw it very well and near, but could not be certain of its species. Looking over the collection at the British Museum and refer-ring to Gould's c Birds of Europe' since my return, have not satisfied me on the point. Other examples of the same spe-cies were seen on the passage, and afterwards in the island of Paros. It seems to be the most common of the small migra-tory owls to the south of Europe, and I have little doubt is the species noticed by Sibthorp in his papers on Greece (pub-lished in Walpole's Memoirs) as the Strix passerina. — Blue-headed Wagtail (Motacilla neglecta, Gould) : two of these birds, both females, were about the vessel all day, and very tame ; one of them flew into our cabin. It was amusing to see them fly-catching on the deck, where they appeared to great advantage, and met with considerable success. Their manner is, poking out the neck most ludicrously, opening
XVII.—Notice of migratory Birds which alighted on, or were seen from, H.M.S. Beacon, Capt. Graves, on the passage from Malta to the Morea at the end of April 1841
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