38 



Solitary Thrush,, a lover of rocks and solitude; the 

 Spectacled Warbler, generally to be found in the 

 Military Cemetery at Floriana ; perhaps the Robin, 

 the Herring Gull, and the Kestrel, which breeds in 

 cliffs and fortifications. To these may be added 

 the Barn Owl, which breeds in ruined walls near 

 Valletta and the Three Cities, the Rock Pigeon, 

 which rears its young on the southern shores and 

 at Filfla, with the Cinereous and Manx Shearwa- 

 ters, and the Storm Petrel, which also select 

 the same localities for their domestic establishments. 

 Fort Manoel Island, the Marsa, the Salini, Marfa, 

 etc., are spots loved by the ornithologist. 



The Egyptian Vulture is a rare visitant, but the 

 Imperial, Spotted, Short-toed, and Golden Eagles, 

 together with the Osprey are sometimes shot. The 

 Rough-legged and Honey Buzzards feed on lizards 

 and small birds. The Common and Black Kites are 

 very rare. The Maltese call the Marsh Harrier, 

 Bu-Ghadam or "the father of bones," naming the 

 Hen Harrier Bu-ghadam abiad or "the white father 

 of bones." Montagu's and the Pale -chested Harriers 

 are also seen in March and September. Numerous 

 hawks pause in Malta during the spring and au- 

 tumn, such as the Sparrow Hawk, Little Red-billed 

 Hawk, Falco larbatus, the Peregrine and Eleonora Fal- 

 cons, the Lanner, Goshawk, Hobby, Orange-legged 

 Hobby, Merlin, Kestrel, and Lesser Kestrel. 



