List of Birds observed in Malta and Gozo. 491 



birds was seen sporting in the fortifications on the land-front of 

 Valetta on the 1 1th of March, 1865. 



Lanius minor (Ibis, 1864, p. 59). In September 1866, I 

 obtained my first and only specimen of this bird. Schembri 

 mentions it as a very rare visitor, having met with it (also in Sep- 

 tember) in 1839 and 1810. jMy bird had the flanks well marked 

 with a lively pink colour, and was therefore most likely a male. 



Motacilla rayi. The geographical distribution of the different 

 species, races, or varieties of Yellow Wagtail is always a matter 

 of interest. Hitherto I have only noticed here M. Jfava, L., 

 and the forms 31. cinereicapilla and M. melanocephala — the first 

 and second being, perhaps, most commonly met with (Ibis, 

 1864, p. 63). I have now to include M. rayi, from an example 

 taken in the spring of 1868 and preserved in the University 

 Museum. Through the kindness of the Rector, I was enabled 

 to take the specimen home for closer study and comparison 

 with a series of the different European forms in my possession. 

 The head and cheeks are greenish-yellow, brighter yellow on 

 the forehead, with a superciliary streak of the same. The under- 

 parts are bright yellow, and the whole back is olivaceous-green. 

 This Yellow Wagtail has before been observed as far south as 

 Malta, Mr. Tristram having obtained it in Morocco and Algeria. 

 The general result of his extended personal experience would 

 seem to indicate that the different forms glide into one another 

 — the dark shade of the head increasing in intensity as we go 

 eastward. 



Cijanecula suecica (Ibis, 1864, p. 67). On the 28th of March, 

 1869, a male of the white-spotted form of this bird (C leuco- 

 cijanea ?) was shot in a field of Hedi/sarum 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 fiesh. 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. 



Chcetusia leucura (Ibis, 1865, p. 459). A second example 

 of this very scarce European visitor was shot, on some marshy 

 gi'ound at the head of the Grand Harbour, on the 24th of Oc- 

 tober, 1869. It had no companions, and it was by mere chance 



