List of Birds observed in Malta and Gozo. 231 



been recorded as observed here (Ibis, 1869, p. 245), and 

 no collection in the island, public or private, contains a spe- 

 cimen. It was shot on the rocks near the ruins of Crendi, 

 on Thursday, the 13th inst. It was seen to approach from 

 the direction of Filfla, at a great height, and, on gaining the 

 land, descend at one flight to the ground. From the descrip- 

 tion given it ap])ears to have been in the dark plumage of the 

 immature bird, known in that state as the Ring-tailed Eagle, 

 on account of the white marking on the tail-feathers. 



Falco eleonor^ (Ibis, 1864, p. 48). The first specimen 

 of this interesting bird that I ever handled in the flesh was 

 taken alive in Malta on the 4th May, 1864, and is in my col- 

 lection. It is an exceedingly fine example of the bird in the 

 Hobby stage of plumage. I append a description, chiefly 

 from notes taken at the time : — 



Length (in the flesh) 15 inches; wings from carpal to tip 

 12i ; wings extending beyond the tail 1/^. Beak bluish. 

 Cere, margins of eyelids, legs, and feet sulphureous yellow ; 

 claws black. Irides very dark. 



The upper parts are of a schistaceous black, very slightly 

 marked on the edges of some of the feathers with rufous ; no 

 rufous on the nape. Underparts rufous, indistinctly streaked 

 with blackish brown tinged with sooty black ; deeper rufous 

 towards the vent- and thigh-feathers, which show very few 

 streaks. Moustaches very apparent ; sides of the neck and 

 throat white or creamy white. Inner webs of the primaries 

 unicolorous, i. e. without any spots, which peculiarity, toge- 

 ther with its larger size, is given by Salvadori"^, although 

 hesitatingly, as the chief means of distinguishing it from the 

 Hobby in this condition of plumage. 



The bird-stufler to whom I sent it to be set up assures me 

 it was a male. Lord Lilford, who has given much attention 

 to this species, thinks it is probably in the plumage of the 

 third year. 



I once observed what I am almost certain was a bird of 

 this species, in summer, flying in the ditch of the fortifi- 



* Op. cit. (' Uccelli di Sardegna " ), p. 25. 



