1917-] Ornithology of Malta. 297 



very rare, is by no means unique. Like all other finches 

 the Greenfinch is severely persecuted, and, bein"^ a rather 

 confident species, it is very difficult for it not to fall a victim 

 to one of the numerous guns or nets. 



14. (99) Chloris chloris aurantiiventris (Cab.). Algerian 

 Greenfinch. 



Local name : Verdun second. 



No mention of this species is made by Schembri, and 

 Wi'ight says he has never met with it here. I have seen 

 two or three locally taken specimens, but, not knowing at 

 the time that they belonged to a distinct variety, did not 

 trouble to preserve them. I have been assured by several 

 netters and fowlers that these birds are more frequent than 

 I imagined, and that they are distinguished from the Com- 

 mon Greenfinch by the local name given above. The last 

 specimen which I have seen was taken within the limits of 

 Zurrico by my friend, Giuseppe Vella of that villnge, on the 

 12th of November, 1911 ; it lived for two years in con- 

 finement and was crossed with a Canary in the spring of 

 1912. 



15.(93) Carduelis carduelis cardnelis (L.). The Goldfinch. 



Local name : Gardill. 



Schembri gives this species as rather common and oc- 

 curring on migration in April and May ; he also states that 

 in his time it was beginning to be here a pretty frequent 

 breeder too. Wright also repeats this last statement, saying, 

 however, that the species is not very common, and that it 

 occurs in October and again in April and May. From my 

 own observations I can say that the Goldfinch is a very 

 scarce migrant during the autumn, sometimes occurring 

 also during the spring ; on exceptional occasions it has 

 been known to arrive m fairly good numbers, but these 

 cases are to be considered very rare — the only case in my 

 memory when this happened was in October 1908. The 

 occurrence of the species in spring is, in my opinion, also 

 quite exceptional ; when they do arrive, however, during that 

 season, if left undisturbed, they generally breed with us 



SER. X. VOL. V. X 



