1917-] Ornithology of Malta. 321 



1915, where I stated that it is a very rare autumn visitor. 

 Until that year, in fact, I had seen oiily about half-a-dozen 

 specimens, all of which were taken at that time of the year. 

 On the 5th of April, 1916, however, 1 met with a specimen 

 at the dealer's in St. John's Square, but as it was minus a 

 part of the tail and primaries, I thought it was not worth 

 while preserving, knowing, moreover, that there is a fine 

 specimen in the collection of our Museum. The local name 

 above given I have picked up from the dealer, who possessed 

 the just-mentioned mutilated bird. 



71. (63) Motacilla alba alba L. The White Wagtail. 

 Local name : Zacac. 



Very common, and sometimes occurring in very large 

 numbers during the autumn. Schembri says that these 

 birds arrive here in September: I have never seen them, 

 however, before the middle of October, when the first 

 arrivals are generally noticed ; a solitary individual may 

 perhaps be seen early in October, but this is to be con- 

 sidered as quite exceptional. Great numbers of these 

 Wagtails are taken yearly in the clap-nets, to meet, of 

 course, the same miserable end as the other Wagtails. 

 Wright says that the species is generally seen in small 

 flocks, but I have often observed it in very large flocks 

 as well. The local name Ziczak, which is found in Wright's 

 ' List of the Birds of Malta/ is evidently a misprint. 



72. (60) Tichodroma muraria (L.). The Wall-Creeper. 

 Local name : Dakkuka tat gebel. 



On the 5th of November, 1904, a specimen of this species 

 was shot in Wied Babu, a deep ravine in the vicinity of 

 Zurrico, by my friend Mr. Jos. Zammit. Though it was 

 picked up in a rather bad condition, seeing that it was a 

 rarity, my friend did not fail to preserve it, and sent it to a 

 local taxidermist, who set it up in the best way he could. 

 The specimen is now in Mr. Zammit's collection. The 

 local name was given to the bird by its capturer, and I think 

 it is quite to the point — Dakkuka on account of its mode 



