1917-] Ornithology of Malta . 315 



53. (130) Alauda arvensis arvensis L. The Sky-Lark. 

 Local name : Aluetta. 



Occurs on migration during the autumn, when large 

 flocks may be seen arriving almost daily. According to 

 both Wright and Schembri, new arrivals are also noticed 

 during the spring ; this statement, however, I have not yet 

 been able to confirm, and it appears to me that the indi- 

 viduals which are observed during this season are only some 

 of the birds which have passed the winter with us. It is 

 true that the number of Larks brought into the market 

 during the spring is at times considerable, but it must also 

 be taken into account that the number of sportsmen who 

 infest the country during tliat season is considerable too. 



54. (135) Ammomanes phcenicurus arenicolor (Sundev.). 

 Sundevall's Desert-Lark. 



Local name : Aluetta bajda. 



Having been assured by several sportsmen and netters 

 that there are locally taken specimens preserved in some 

 of the local private collections, I put the species as a very 

 rare autumn visitor on my list of 1915^ but having now 

 examined several of such specimens I find that they are only 

 isabelline forms of the common Sky-Lark. The species is, 

 however, entitled to a place amongst the birds of Malta as 

 there was a specimen in Dresser's collection, which was 

 taken in Malta in April 1867, and, perhaps, on account of 

 the one in Schembri^s collection, reported as Alauda liisi- 

 tanica by Wright. 



55. (128) Eremophila alpestris flava (Gm.). The Shore- 

 Lark. 



Local name : Aluetta safra. 



On the 2nd of October, 1912, a specimen of this species 

 was brought to me by a country lad from Binghisa, who 

 captured it in that locality while netting for Sky-Larks. 

 About two months later I heard that a bird, which was 

 named Aluetta safra, had been taken in Gozo by the Right 

 Rev. Canon V. Attard. In January of the year following 

 this gentleman visited my collection and, on seeing the 



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