1917-] Ornithologij of Malta . 4 73 



164. (161) Asio otus otus (L.) . The Long-eared Owl. 

 Local name : Kattus. 



Wright ?ays that, looking over some skins collected in 

 Malta by Dr. Leith Adams, he observed one of these birds 

 ticketed "Malta, 12th October, 1861.'' He also notes 

 one in our Museum which he says was probably taken 

 in Malta, though no locality is mentioned. In the first 

 appendix to his list he records a specimen in his collec- 

 tion taken on the 17th of December, 1863; and in the 

 fourth appendix he also says that during the last two years 

 he observed several specimens in the market, and this both 

 in the autumn and vernal periods of migration ; and, lastly, 

 he records a live specimen seen by him on the 20th of 

 October, 1869. I quite admit that the species is by no 

 means frequent, but at the same time I wonder how 

 Schembri did not meet with it. During the last ten years 

 I have seen more than a dozen specimens, and have been 

 assured that in 1890 the species occurred in pretty large 

 numbers. The local name in Giglioli's Avifanna is 0mm 

 is sub/en for this species also ; so I prefer the one given 

 above, which I have obtained from several sportsmen and 

 which is almost the equivalent of one of the Italian names 

 of the species, viz., " Testa di Gatto.'' 



165. (162) Asio flammeus flammeus (Pontoppidan). The 

 Short-eared Owl. 



Local name : 0mm is subien. 



Pretty common on migration during both seasons and 

 may be considered also a partial resident with us, as a few 

 individuals are to be met with here from October to May. 

 Both Schembri and Wright record the species as one which 

 every now and then breeds in these islands, and this I was 

 able to confirm on the 4th of Msij, 1906, when a nest 

 containing a brood of five was found in the vicinity of 

 Siggiewi ; subsequently on the 18th of May, 1909, I found 

 a nest myself at Wied Znuber ; this contained a clutch of 

 three eggs. 



