1 9 1 7 • ] Ornithology of Malta. 345 



134. (24) Luscinialnscinia (L.). The Eastern Nightingale. 

 Local name : Rosinjol prin. 



The first specimen I met with was taken in the nets 

 together with the Common Nightingale, near Hal Far, en 

 the 29th of September, 1910, by a country-lad known by 

 the name of " Wigi tal Musu." On showing the bird to 

 several countrymen, I was told by them that during some 

 seasons these birds arrive in fairly good numbers. I saw 

 two more specimens in September 1912. The local name 

 given I learned from the lad who brought me the first 

 bird. 



135. (20) Luscinia suecica cyanecnla (Wolf). The White- 

 spotted Bluethroat. 



Local name : Cudiross sidutu cahla. 



In the fourth appendix to his list of Maltese birds, under 

 the name of Cyanecula suecica, Wright gives the following 

 note : — " On the 28th of March, 1869, a male of the white- 

 spotted form of this bird was shot in a field of Hedysarum 

 coronarium. It has before been occasionally killed in Malta, 

 but it is so extremely rare that this was the first specimen 

 that ever came into my hands in the flesh ; the blue of the 

 breast was very brilliant, and the pectoral spot of a pure 

 silvery white. Several others were seen and shot about the 

 same time.^' I have seen only one specimen taken alive at 

 Malta — it was in Mr. Micallef's collection, and was captured 

 in April 1917. 



136. (21) Luscinia suecica suecica (L.). The Red-spotted 

 Bluethroat. 



Local name : Cudiross sidutu cahla u safra. 



Schembri says that this is one of the rarest species of the 

 family, and that whenever specimens are taken this happens 

 always in March and August. Wright says that the indi- 

 viduals he examined had the pectoral spot very light rufous 

 or pure white. There are two specimens in the University 

 Museum ; these, however, bear neither date nor locality, 

 and I have not yet heard from anyone that they have been 

 captured in the island. Moreover, there seems to be some 



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