252 Mr. 'C. A. Wright's Third Appendix to a 



Gulls, is, we are informed, common ; whilst L. melanocephalus, 

 the commonest Gull in the place, seen in flocks of hundreds in 

 our harbours and round the coast in winter and spring, is pro- 

 nounced to be rare ! Of the Shrike family we receive some 



equally trustworthy information. Lanius excubitor is given us as 

 common, though I know of only one instance of this species, 

 which occurred a quarter of a century ago, and was recorded by 

 Schembri. The same liberality is observed towards L. meridio- 

 nalis and L. cullurio ; whilst the fact is, they are all exceedingly 

 rare and exceptional visitors. Many other erroneous statements 

 are made as to rarity or frequency of different species; but 

 perhaps the readers of ' The Ibis ' will think I have said enough 

 in the way of warning. 



I must, however, append a list of the most striking of the 

 pretended novelties, in order that they may not be accepted by 

 the unwary until properly vouched for. Some of them will 

 probably turn up some day — perhaps a few have already done 

 so; but until authenticated specimens can be produced, they 

 must in the meanwhile be looked on at least with an eye of 

 suspicion : — 



Astur gabar (?). I think it necessary to make a note of this 

 bird. I introduced it into my List with a query, on the au- 

 thority of Strickland (Orn. Syn. i. p. 112). It is now intro- 

 duced by our author with no mark of doubt at all, and stated to 

 be a " rare "' visitor. Some day, perhaps, we shall be told it is 

 common ! ! 



Aquila maritima. 



Buteo vulgaris. This species is given as common ! 



Bubo maximus. 



Perdix francolinus. 



Perdix rufa. 



Perdix cinerea. The Maltese name given for this species by 

 our author is Tigiega ta Carthagini, by which the Sandgrouse 

 are known ; and the only authority for the admission of Perdix 

 cinerea into the Malta List was, as I have ascertained, a specimen 

 in a druggist's window in Valletta, not, however, of a Partridge, 

 but of a Sandgrouse; and this even was not obtained in Malta, 



