191 7-] Ornithologij oj Malta. 509 



277. (293) Machetes pugnax (L.). The RiifF. 

 Local name : Ghirwiela. 



Ocoiirring; commonly on passage during the spring and 

 autumn, a few being often met with during the winter as 

 well : individvuils in the full nu[)tial dress arc of very rare 

 occurrence, and I have not seen more than three. 



278. (291) Canutus canutiis (L.). The Knot. 

 Local name : Ghirwiel rat. 



Very rare. Schembri states that he did not see more than 

 two or three individuals ; these were taken in January and 

 February in winter dress. Wright records a specimen exist- 

 ing in the University Museum, but neither date nor locality 

 is given. I have not yet succeeded in meeting with the 

 species. Giglioli, besides the local name given, also mentions 

 Ghirwiel irmiedi. 



279. (292) Calidris leucophaea (Pall.). The Sanderling. 

 Local name : Pispisella bajda. 



Wright records a specimen shot at Marfa and sent to him 

 by Mr. Home ; he states that he had not met with the 

 species before. I have two specimens in my collection, one 

 of which was shot at Binghisa Point in August 1910 ; the 

 other was obtained in the Valletta Market in the spring of 

 1913. In the spring of 1911 I saw a living specimen at the 

 dealer's in St. John's Square, who called the bird by the local 

 name here given. 



280. (287) Erolia alpina alpina (L.). The Dunlin. 

 Local name : Beyazzina tat-tizz. 



Both Schembri and Wright state that this species is 

 common during both the spring and autumn. 1 have met 

 with it also during the winter, but do not consider it common 

 at any time of the year. 



281. (290) Erolia ferruginea (Briinu.). The Curlew- 

 Sandpiper. 



Local name : Beyazzina lianira. 



Occurs on passage towards the end of spring and the 



