List of Birds observed in Malta and Gozo. 229 



length as tarsus ; wings extend beyond the tail 2 in. Colour 

 of mantle darker than in L. argentatus ; margin of eye- 

 lids red ; irides light amber. Legs and feet chrome-yellow ; 

 inside of mouth mixture of red and yellow. 



Immature bird, ? . Length 1 ft. 11^ in.; carpus to tip 1 ft. 

 5^ in. ; beak to angle of gape 3 in. ; tarsus upwards of 2\ in. ; 

 middle toe rather more than 2^ in. ; wings extend beyond the 

 tail 2 in. Back brow n mixed with bluish grey ; rest of plu- 

 mage mottled with brown ; broad band of brown at end of tail. 

 Beak blacky with white horny tip ; legs livid white. 



276. Anas claxgula. Golden-eye. 



In my collection there is a specimen, $ , obtained in De- 

 cember 1870, which had escaped notice until Lord Lilford, 

 going over a draw^er of skins with me, drew my attention to it. 

 This is the first record of its capture in Malta, although 

 doubtless, it being common in Sicily, it occasionally visits us 

 on migration. 



277. Anas angustirostris (Menetr.). Marbled Duck. 



A specimen of this rare European Duck was observed in 

 the market by Capt. Feilden and myself on the 11th May 

 this year (1874) ; and it is possible we are indebted for its 

 visit to the very boisterous and unseasonable weather that 

 has lately prevailed. From all accounts it appears that this 

 southern species is a summer migrant from Africa to Europe; 

 and as it has been met with in Sicily and Epirus, it is some- 

 what singular that it does not oftener put in an appearance 

 at Malta. This specimen proved on dissection to be a female, 

 with the ovary enlarging, stomach empty. It is now in the 

 collection of Capt. Feilden. 



We afterwards traced out the person who shot it — a country 

 lad named Birtu Samut — and learnt from him the following 

 particulars : — 



It was first noticed on Saturday, 9th inst., at mid-day, at 

 the Salini, and an ineffectual attempt made to shoot it. It 

 returned in the evening, when Samut winged it ; but it suc- 

 ceeded in escaping for a time by swimming out to sea, not- 

 withstanding having also received a severe contusion in the 



