504 Mr. G. Despott on the [Ibis, 



existed since the capture of the first specimen — in fact, I 

 came to know of the bird by that name. 



258. (246) Pterocles alchata (L.). Pintail Sand-Grouse. 

 Local name : Ganga. 



Schembri records the capture of several of these birds at 

 Marsascirocco, Marsa, and Comino in April 1843. I have 

 seen a specimen in Mr. Micallef's collection which was taken 

 in 1896, and I handled one in the flesh which was shot in 

 the neighbourhood of Zurrico in the summer of 1908 ; on 

 several occasions recently these birds have been imported, so 

 that I cannot take into account the three specimens which 

 were obtained in that year. 



259. (278) Haematopus ostralegus ostralegus L. The 

 Oyster-catcher. 



Local name : Gallina tal buhar. 



A quite accidental visitor. Recorded by Schembri, who 

 saw a specimen on the 11th of August, 1841, and two others 

 in September and October of the following year. Wright 

 states that these birds have been observed in April, August, 

 September, October, and November, and records one seen ou 

 the 17th of April, 1854 ; another was killed in the summer 

 of 1860, and a third on the 1st of April, 1861. I have not 

 seen more than half a dozen individuals, all of which occur- 

 red during the summer months. The local name given by 

 Schembri and several others is Cavalier-, this, however, appears 

 to have fallen into disuse, at least for the Oyster-catcher, 

 though several people use it for the Black-winged Stilt. 



260. (262) Burhinus cedicnemns csdicnemus (L.). The 

 Stone-CurlcAv. 



Local name : Tellerita. 



Common during both seasons, and sometimes occurring 

 in considerable numbers during the autumnal period of 

 migration. It appears that the few individuals which arrive 

 in the spring, if fortunate enough to escape the guns of our 

 sportsmen, remain here to breed and do not depart before 

 the middle of summer. 



