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Of the family of the Owls we have the Barn 

 Owl, which breeds in the battlements of Valletta 

 and the Three Cities, with the Sparrow, Scops, Short, 

 and Long- eared varieties. The Wryneck locally known 

 as "the King of the Quails," or " the Father of 

 Crouchers" is one of the earliest visitors in spring 

 and autumn, at which seasons the Cuckoo is also 

 common. The Great Spatted Cuckoo is very rare, 

 as are also the Crossbill, and Bullfinch. 



The Vinous and Scarlet Grosbeaks are winter 

 visitants, and we must not forget the Serin, Green, 

 and Hawfinches, or the Spanish, Tree, and Eock 

 Sparrows. The Finches are the Chaffinch, Bramble 

 Finch, and Siskin, which is often crossed with the 

 Canary by the native bird-fanciers. A few Linnets 

 breed in Malta, but of the Buntings the Girl, Mea- 

 dow, Reed, Snow, and Black-headed varieties are 

 rare, whilst the Common and Ortolan species, the 

 latter of which loves to bathe in rain water upon 

 the rocks, are not uncommon. The beautiful Gold- 

 en-crested Regulus is somewhat rare, as is also the 

 Fire-crested species. The Book pays us a visit, the 

 Jackdaw is a resident, the Magpie and Sardinian 

 Starling have been shot, and the Common Starling 

 is numerous during the autumn and winter. The 

 Eose-coloured Pastor arrives at irregular intervals. 

 The Swallow and its relatives must not be 

 passed over. They are the Common, Eufous, and 

 Eock Swallows, the latter species being perhaps 



