192 Prof. H. H. Giglioli om the 



of its capture, which, however, from the condition of the spe- 

 cimen, cannot date many years back. It is with much doubt 

 that I have included this bird in the Italian collection ; and 

 further comparisons are necessary for its specific determi- 

 nation ; for, as every ornithologist knows, it is no easy matter 

 to identify some of the Caprimulgi. This would be the first 

 instance of the occurrence of C. tamaricis in Italy and in 

 Europe. On examining my specimen some time ago Prof. 

 Doderlein assured me that he had shot a similar one at Ustica 

 (Sicily) a few years since, but had not preserved it. 



Caprimulgus ^gyptius, Licht. 



While on a visit to the small University Museum in Malta 

 in October 1878, my attention was called to three specimens 

 of this species, one of which was labelled C. europeeus, and 

 considered by Dr. A. A. Caruana (who assured me that they 

 had been all shot on the island about two years before) merely 

 an isabelline variety of that common species. I obtained 

 one specimen in exchange, a female ; it was labelled C. I'ufi- 

 collis ! On having it remounted I found that it had evidently 

 been recently prepared. Even this species is an addition to the 

 Italian avifauna. Baron G. Caruso, of Girgenti, told Prof. 

 Doderlein (Avif. Sicil. & Mod. p. 344) that he had shot some 

 years ago in that neighbourhood an isabelline Caprimulgus, 

 most likely of the present species. 



HiRUNDo RUFULA, Tcmm. 



A rarity with us, and occurring less unfrequently at Genoa 

 and at Bari, as far as my information goes. On the 25th of 

 March 1877, the first Swallow I saw flying over the Aruo in 

 Florence, between S. Trinita bridge and Ponte Vecchio, 

 was a specimen of this species, its reddish rump glowing con- 

 spicuously in the sunlight. I saw it again the next day, 

 together with a Chelidon urbica ; it afterwards disappeared. 

 Our collection possesses two specimens — a male shot near 

 Genoa in May 1859, and a female shot at Bari in August 

 1874. I believe that a few couples breed with us. 



COTILE RUPESTRIS (ScOp.). 



My first communication to this Journal, in 1863, was on the 



