List of Birds observed in Malta and Gozo. 227 



and from Southern Europe. Considering it is common in 

 Egypt, and has been obtained in Tangiers by Major Irby 

 (Ibis, 1870, p. 445, and Shelley^s ' Birds of Egypt,^ 1872, 

 p. 172), it would be rather curious if we did not find it here ; 

 and a further search may possibly demonstrate the fact of its 

 breeding in this island. I shot several examples of Cypselus 

 apus for comparison ; and the subject of the present notice 

 may be easily distinguished from the common species by its 

 light colour, smaller dimensions, and greater extent of white 

 on the throat. 



274. Phcenicopterus erythr^us (Verreaux) ? 



Besides the well-known large kind of European Flamingo 

 (Ibis, 18G4, p. ]49, 1870, p. 492), long since recorded as an 

 accidental visitor, I have to include in the Malta list a small 

 species or variety, probat)ly the same as that found by Sal- 

 vadori in the island of Sardinia"^, and of which there are also 

 one or two specimens in the museum at Palermo, taken, I 

 believe, in Sicily. About this bird there appears to be some 

 difference of opinion. Without a series of specimens for com- 

 paiison, 1 will not increase the confusion by offering an 

 opinion, further than observing that the great difference in 

 size would, ^rima /acie, induce one to declare that they are 

 perfectly distinct. However this may be, I may at once state 

 that the small individual which forms the subject of the pre- 

 sent notice was shot on the 27th or 28th of March, 1869, 

 at Marsa Scala, on the east coast of the island, by Capt. Az- 

 zopardi, during a strong north-westerly gale, and that I am 

 indebted for becoming possessed of it to the liberality of Mr. 

 Jemison Smith, of this island. There were no others with it 

 when killed. 



The following comparative dimensions are from a spe- 

 cimen in my possession of Phcenicopterus roseus, shot by my- 

 self at Tunis, and the small example shot in Malta, as stated 

 above : — 



* ' Catalogo degli Uccelli di Sardegna, con note e osservazioni di Tom- 

 maso Salvadori/ &c. &c., p. 102 : Milano, 1864. Also ' Fauna D'ltalia,' 

 parte seconda. "Uccelli," by the same author, p. 2.J0: Milano, 1872. 



