observed in the Islands of Malta and Gozo. 153 



220. Sterna hirundo. (Common Tern.) 

 A few in spring, autumn, and winter. 



221. Sterna minuta. (Lesser Tern.) 



Rare. Mr. Mecllycott shot a specimen a few years ago. I saw 

 two others in St. Paul's Bay, in August 1855. In Marsala, 

 Sicily, I observed a good many of these pretty little Terns, and 

 shot several in the month of August. 



222. Sterna fissipes. (Black Tern.) 



Occasionally observed in autumn and later. I shot one out 

 of three on the 23rd July 1858, at Fort Manoel. 



223. Sterna leucoptera. (White-winged Black Tern.) 

 Visits us in spring and autumn. Several in my possession 



were shot in May. 



224. Sterna hybrida. (Whiskered Tern.) 



Visits us in spring, summer, and autumn. Not common. I 

 have a specimen that was shot, with two or three of the preceding 

 species, on the 16th May 1860. This and the preceding species 

 generally appear at the head of the Great Harbour in May, 

 after or during a strong north-westerly wind. 



225. PuFFiNus ciNEREUs. (Ciuereous Shearwater.) 

 Ciefa, Maltese. 



226. PuFFiNUs ANGLORUM. (Manx Shearwater.) 

 Garni, Maltese. 



Both these species are sedentary, and breed on the southern 

 coast of Malta and Gozo and on the islet of Filfla, as also on 

 the small island of Comino. I have frequently visited Filfla in 

 June and July, and taken the eggs, as well as the young and 

 old birds. They lay a single egg of a pure white, rather large, 

 and deposit it on the bare ground, in a crevice or under a frag- 

 ment of rock. That of Puffinus anglorum is rather smaller and 

 more elliptical than the other. Like many other sea-birds, 

 they allow themselves to be taken whilst sitting, without making 

 any attempt to escape, merely snapping at the intruder's fiagers 

 with their strong sharp bill. Both young and old birds, when 

 handled, are apt to eject, in a very disagreeable manner, a green- 

 ish fluid, formed by their feeding on the Inula crithmoides, one 



VOL. VI, M 



