340 Mr. G. Desputt on the [Ibis, 



a winter seldom passes without some being procured. I have 

 seen only two .specimens taken in the island: the first was 

 in Mr. Micallef's collection, and was obtained in January 

 1903, the second, which is in my collection, was obtained by 

 me from the Valletta Market on the 2nd February, 1910. 

 The local name has been modified at the suggestion of the 

 late Prof. Tagliaferro, to distinguish it from the following 

 species, which appears to be the more common of the two, 

 and which is perhaps alluded to by both Schembri and Wright 

 under the Latin name of T. torquatus. 



121. (8) Turdus torquatus alpestris (Brehm). The Alpine 

 Ring-Ouzel. 



Local name : Malvizz tas-sidru bajdu. 



I have seen at least twenty s[)eeimens of this species which 

 was taken in the island, and this makes me consider it more 

 common than the foregoing. Mr. Micallef, who handled 

 several of these birds, says that the majority of them were 

 of the present form. The local name is the one given by 

 Schembri for T. torquatus, which, as I have already stated, 

 is most probably intended for this form. 



122. (5) Turdus merula merula L. The Blackbird. 

 Local name : Malvizz iswed. 



Occurs on passage during the autumn, and is to be seen 

 almost throughout the winter ; it is sometimes noticed in 

 March, and I have also obtained specimens during April. 

 In 1911 these birds visited us ; they made their first appear- 

 ance in the last week of October, and could be seen until the 

 middle of spring. Mackay's statement that it (the Blackbird) 

 breeds here is undoubtedly an error, and it has probably 

 been confounded with the Blue Rock-Thrush, which by 

 some people here is erroneously called by the English name 

 of Blackbird. Giglioli and Hiasius call this bird also by the 

 local name Mulvizz tat-truffa, but, though I have heard it 

 from a few persons, I can give it for certain that it is not 

 much in use, the Blackbird being locally known as Malvizz 

 iswed. 



