320 Mr. G. Despott on the [Ibis, 



as common, though Schembri says it is. Wright is un- 

 doubtedly more correct ia saying that it arrives together 

 with the foregoing, but is the rarest of them. From my 

 observations I can say that these birds occur during some 

 years in fairly good numbers ; as a general rule, however, 

 they are to be considered scarce. 



68. {Q7) Motacilla flava rayi (Bp.). The Yellow Wagtail. 



Local name : Obrox rashu safra. 



Recorded by Wright in the fourth appendix to his list of 

 the birds of Malta, where it is said that the specimen in 

 the University Museum was taken in the spring of 1862. 

 I have seen two specimens in the collection of Mr. Micallef 

 and one at a dealer in St. John^s Square — this last was taken 

 in the vicinity of Krendi on the 12th of April, 1912; 

 unfortunately it was in a very bad state of plumage, 

 having the tail and primaries of both wings clipped 

 off. The local name given I have adopted from the 

 netters, and I think it is much better than the one given 

 in the ' Catalogue of the Collection of the Birds of Malta,^ 

 Giarnell, which, as already stated, is only a generic name. 



69. (64) Motacilla boarula boarula L. The Grey Wagtail. 



Local name : Zacac tad-delL 



A regular migrant, wiiicli begins to arrive towards the end 

 of summer, lingers here throughout the winter, and is to 

 be met with until the middle of spring. It is never seen in 

 flocks like its congeners, but mostly singly and more rarely in 

 pairs. Late in the winter these birds may often be observed 

 over the roofs of houses, even in Valletta, but in the spring 

 they are rarely seen in these localities ; at that time they are 

 off in search of a suitable breeding-place — their nesting, 

 however, is not so easily effected, as the poor birds will be 

 truly fortunate if able to escape the man with the gun. 



70. (62) Motacilla alba lugubris Temm. The Pied 

 Wagtail. 



Local name : Zacac iswed. 



This species was first recorded for Malta in my list of 



