292 Mr. G. Despott on the [Ibis, 



local name above given, Ciaidun and Gharuh are to be 

 found also on other lists ; the first, as we have seen, 

 however, is also given to the Raven, and the second is 

 undoubtedly A'cry little in use. 



5. (141) Colceus monedula monedula (L.). The Jackdaw. 

 Local name : Ciaula. 



Tiiis species was very abundant, but owing to a continuous 

 persecution has become very scarce — so much so, in fact, that 

 its temporary protection has been felt necessary. Tlie few 

 birds which remain breed in the inaccessible clifiTs on the south 

 of the islands, a few may also be seen about the precipitous 

 rocks near Melliha and St. PauPs Bay. When Wright pub- 

 lished his list of the birds observed by him in these islands, 

 the Jackdaw appears to have been on the increase. I quite 

 remember the time when these birds could be observed over 

 the roofs of houses in the very centre of Valletta, and Adams 

 says that the Jackdaw used to breed in the fortifications of 

 the town. Wright says that it is asserted somewhere that 

 the Jackdaw was imported by the Knights of St. John, but 

 this statement seemed to him rather apocryphal. After 

 careful observations, however, I came to the conclusion that 

 new arrivals of these birds are never observed in these islands, 

 so that what seemed apocryphal to Wi'ight might be a real 

 fact. In an old manuscript in the Malta Public Library, it 

 is said that a reward was offered by the Government of the 

 Order for the head and pair of feet of tliis bird, and to-day 

 it is quite difficult to obtain a specimen, even if one offers 

 a shilling or two. Another local name for this species is 

 Cola, which is, however, practically out of use. 



6. (140) Pica pica pica (L.). The Magpie. 

 Local name : Ciaula bujda. 



Schembri records a specimen shot in these islands on the 

 7th of October, 1839, and Wright records the same occur- 

 rence, saying that the individual might have been a 

 straggler blown off the coast of Sicily, where the species 

 exists in great numbers. There is a specimen in the Uni- 

 versity Museum which bears no date or locality, but on 



