312 Mr. G. Despott on the [Ibis, 



it is frequently observed coming over with the first arrivals of 

 the Sky-Lark. I cannot say that this is an annual occur- 

 rence — in fact, I remember several years when the species 

 did not appear at all ; and, though it is said that during 

 some years these birds occur almost in considerable numbers, 

 they are to be considered as generally scarce. I have a 

 specimen in my collection, taken in the vicinity of Birzeb- 

 bugia in the autumn of 1910, which appears to be very much 

 larger than usual. 



48. (129 a) Melanocorypha sibirica (Gm.). The White- 

 winged Lark. 



Local name : Calandra salvaggia. 



Mr. Micallef mounted a specimen of this species which 

 he bought alive from Giulio Mallia in 1904. The species 

 figures also in the ' Catalogue of the Collection of the Birds 

 of Malta' ; this is, however, due to an erroneous identifi- 

 cation of a pied example of the Short-toed Lark. The local 

 name given above is the one which Mr. Micallef has given 

 to the above-mentioned specimen. 



49. (133) Calandrella brachydactyla brachydactyla (Leisl.). 

 The Short-toed Lark, 



Local name : Bilbla. 



Occurring in very large numbers during the spring and 

 towards the end of summer. The first arrivals are gene- 

 rally noticed during the first days of March, and continue 

 to arrive till the end of April or the beginning of May. 

 Many of these Larks remain liere to breed ; nidification 

 generally commences late in April and goes on till the end 

 of July, The birds which arrive in September only linger 

 here till the beginning of October, when, together with 

 the locally-bred individuals, they depart. A curious fact 

 pointed out by sportsmen and bird-catchers is that this 

 species never meets the Sky-Lark : when one arrives, the 

 other is already gone. Specimens are often seen which are 

 of a particularly red colour; others, on the contrary, are 

 very markedly light. 



