348 Mr. G. Despott on the [Ibis, 



in spring and antumn. During the former season it is gene- 

 rally noticed early in March, and continues to be met with 

 until May. During the latter season, the first arrivals are 

 observed towards the end of September, and thereafter they 

 are often to be met with until the end of October; single in- 

 dividuals may also be seen late in November. Wright says 

 that specimens of the variety H. rustica orient alls have also 

 been taken, and Schembri states that a couple or two of the 

 Swallow at times breed here ; this, however, I have not yet 

 been able to confirm. 



148. (89) Hirundo daurica rufala Temm. The Red- 

 rumped Swallow. 



Local name : Huttafa hamra. 



Reported by Wright, who gives the following occur- 

 rences : — {a) Three individuals observed by him and Dr. 

 Adams at the Salina on the 5th of April, 1862 — of these 

 Dr. Adams succeeded in shooting one. (b) A day or two 

 afterwards Dr. Adams shot another one from the same place 

 and saw several others, (c) Another, taken in April 1870 — 

 for this, however, no locality is given. The local name is 

 given by Blasius and Giglioli. In Giglioli's list, however, 

 it is Huttafa hambra^ which is evidently a misprint. 



144. (90) Delichon urbica urbica (L.). The Martin. 



Occurs on passage together with the Swallow, and accord- 

 ing to Wright, it seems to remain here a part of the winter 

 when H. rustica has departed. According to Schembri, it 

 passes the greater part of the winter here, when it can be 

 seen flying about the streets of Valletta ; this, however, is 

 assuredly a thing of the past. 



145. (91) Riparia riparia riparia (L.). The Sand-Martin. 

 Local name : Hawiviefa tax-xtut. 



This, too, occurs on passage during the spring and autumn, 

 but not always in the same quantity. I remember years 

 when these birds visited us in very great numbers ; I quite 

 remember some seasons, however, when they were rather 



