List of Birds observed in Malta and Gozu. 247 



and, with Chcetusia leucura and Charadrius longipes, it forms 

 an interesting trio. On dissection it proved to be a female 

 with the ovary, as might be expected at that season, very 

 small. The spurs were also shorter than I have seen them 

 in specimens from Egypt, where, I am informed by an eye- 

 witness, they have been observed to use them as weapons of 

 offence against other birds, and, doubtless, of defence also. In- 

 deed a pair was once seen near the barrage on the Nile driving 

 away a dog from the vicinity of their nest, making repeated 

 swoops at the intruder, sti-iking at him with their armed wings, 

 and uttering loud cries. It has not been met with in Algeria, 

 nor is it recorded as an inhabitant of Tunis or Tripoli, probably 

 on account of the absence of large rivers in that part of the 

 African continent, as it is evidently a species affecting deltas 

 and fluviatile banks. I should not be surprised, however, to 

 hear of it being met with occasionally on the coast of Barbary, 

 especially now that it has paid Malta a visit. 



I need scarcely remind the readers of ' The Ibis' that this 

 bird is a claimant for the distinction of being the Trochilus 

 mentioned by Herodotus as "Leech-catcher" to His Majesty 

 the Crocodile on the banks of Father Nile. 



266. AcTiTURUS BARTRAMius (Wilson) . (Bartram's Sand- 

 piper.) 



One of the most interesting captures made in Malta during my 

 researches amongst its bird-fauna took place on the 17th of No- 

 vember, 1865 — that of Bartram's Sandpiper. And it is curious 

 that, almost simultaneously with this occurrence, another example 

 of the same species was taken in England, near Falmouth, as an- 

 nounced in 'The Times' of the 14th of November, 1865, by Dr. 

 W. K. Bullmore*. Only two other examples have been met with 

 in England, the particulars of which are given by Yarrell (Br. 

 B. 3rd ed. ii. pp. 633, 634), and two more, according to Tem- 

 minck (Man. d'Orn. 2nd ed. p. 650), on the Continent, one in 

 Holland, and one in Germanyf. Thus six have now been 



* [C/. ' Zoologist; S. S. pp. 37-40.— Ed.] 



t [The first example taken in England was recorded in the ' Zoologist ' 

 (p. 3330), by the late Hugh Reid, without the assignment of any name ; 



s 2 



