50 Mr. C. A. Wright's List of the Birds 



commonest Owl found here. It commences arriving towards 

 the end of February or beginning of March^ and continues pass- 

 ing till May, reappearing in September, October, and Novem- 

 ber. It is sold in the market in great numbers, with Nightjars 

 {Caprimulgus europcsus) and other birds for the table, and is 

 considered good eating by the natives. It is easily tamed, and 

 becomes very familiar in captivity. A few probably winter here, 

 as individuals are taken in December and January. In 1862-63 

 I obtained nearly a dozen specimens in the market, at different 

 times in these months. 



29. YuNX TORQUiLLA. (Wryneck.) 

 Sultan-issummiem (King of the Quails) or Bu-lehhiet (Father 



of Crouchers), Maltese. 



One of the earliest visitors in spring and autumn. Occasion- 

 ally, but very rarely, met with in winter. 



30. CucuLus CANORUS. (Cuckoo.) 



Kuku or Dakkuka Kahla, adult ; Sultan-il-gammiem, young. 



Common in spring and autumn. Arrives rather later than 

 the foregoing species, but generally precedes the Doves. Its 

 well-known call is occasionally heard amongst the carob-trees 

 in the valleys, when not molested by the countless sportsmen 

 who infest every ornithological quarter in the island. 



31. CucuLus GLANDARius. (Great Spotted Cuckoo.) 



An exceedingly rare species here. I only know of three spe- 

 cimens shot in Malta. One of these was killed at Sliema, in 

 May 1854. 



32. LoxiA cuRviRosTRA. (Crossbill.) 



Only an accidental visitor. It has generally been seen in 

 September or October. I have a male which was shot, with 

 another (supposed to be a female), in October 1861 ; and an- 

 other obtained in October of this year (1863). 



33. Pyrrhula europ^a. (Bullfinch.) 



This is another very rare bird here. The only cases of its 

 occurrence which have come to my knowledge are two caught 

 in March 1835, another in 1840, and a fourth some years 

 afterwards (Schembri). Its presence may therefore be considered 

 quite accidental. 



