212 Prof. H. H. Giglioli on the 



been more abundant some years ago, at least in Sardinia. 

 Our collection possesses two specimens — a male from Lentini, 

 October 1864, and a female from Cagliari, not dated, and 

 received in exchange from that museum. 



Grus communis, Bechst. 



It is not generally known that the Crane breeds in Italy. 

 A few pairs do so every year in the extensive marshes along 

 the Adriatic, north of Venice ; I have received a chick in 

 down from that locality, presented by Count Ninni. The 

 peasants there are in the habit of robbing the nests, and place 

 the eggs to hatch under hens ; they sell the young birds 

 alive to be kept in gardens. 



Egretta ALBA (Linu.) . 



Not common on our continent, more so in Sardinia ; it 

 occurs more frequently in the Venetian province, but rarely 

 during the spring passage. I have never seen specimens with 

 a black bill. 



BuBULCUs IBIS (Hasselq.). 



Of accidental occurrence in Italy, and more frequently 

 along the ''Riviera;" our collection has a single specimen 

 from Genoa. There is a specimen in the Malta University 

 Museum said to have been captured in the island. 



Platalea leucorodia, Linn. 



A rare species. Our collection possesses four specimens : — 

 an adult male, Pisa, spring of 1836 ; an adult female, Siena, 

 1842 ; a female, Cagliari, March 1877 ; and a young bird 

 with a curious short bill of a yellowish-white colour, shot 

 near Rome in the spring of 1873. 



Phcenicopterus roseus, Pall. 



I know of few species of birds which vary so much in size 

 as the present one ; our collection possesses a fine series of 

 specimens, showing admirably such individual variations. 

 The following are the proportions of two adult males, one, 

 the largest, shot at Orbetello (Tuscany) on the 3rd of March 

 1879, the other shot at Cagliari in February 1879 ; they are 



