41 



been brought up. High prices are often paid for 

 good songsters, and the Maltese often suspend a 

 piece of red cloth and a cowry shell in the cage, 

 which they consider a certain specific against the 

 "evil eye"! 



The Common, Russet^ and Eared Wheatears 

 visit us, as do also the Winchat, and Stonechat. The 

 Nightingale, together with numerous Warblers and 

 other small birds is taken in nets which are thrown 

 over a low spreading carob tree selected for the 

 purpose, the birds being driven from other trees 

 into it. 



The Redstart together with the Black variety, 

 and the Robin deserve mention. The Hedge Sparrow 

 is rather rare, as are also the Blue-throated Warbler, 

 and Blackcap. The Garden Warbler is sometimes 

 brought to market to the number of a hundred 

 dozen at a time. It is the far-famed beccafico of 

 the Italians. We can only enumerate the White 

 Throat and Lesser White-throat, with the Orphean, 

 and Subalpine Warblers. The Spectacled Warbler 

 is a resident, and haunts the Military Cemetery at Flo- 

 riana. The Maltese call the Black-headed Sardinian 

 Warbler Ghasfur tal maltemp or "the bird of bad 

 weather/' The Dartford, Willow, Wood, Bonelli's 

 and Vieillot's Willow Warblers are all found upon 

 these shores. 



The Chiffchaff bears the name of Bu-fula, or 

 " the Father of a Bean." The Sedge Warblers are 



