]Gl< Commander H. Lynes on a 



Egypt. — The period of passage was rather prolonged, 

 l)ut there was no evidence that any of the individuals 

 belonged to different geographical races. Already plentiful 

 on 23rd August, the numbers steadily increased until the 

 equinox, when the passage had attained its maximum height. 

 This was sustained for a month, during which time the 

 Wheatear was one of the most abundant species. Directly 

 after the 21st October the passage subsided rapidly ; from 

 25th October onwards belated birds of the year only were 

 seen, and the last of the species noted was on 27th October. 



Crete, — Excepting one stray duU-plumaged bird looking 

 like a female, on 21st March, the first AVIieatears, all fresh- 

 plumaged males, arrived on 22nd March, the females 

 following regularly five days later. 



Malta. — A dull-plumaged pioneer migrant was seen on 

 the 9th of March, but the regular passage commeiiced at the 

 equinox, decreasing after mid-April and closing with the 

 end of that month. 



Sardinia. — Quite a large scattered party, mostly of adult 

 males, was seen on 3rd May, but none were obtained. 



[All the Common Wheatears obtained in Egypt, Crete, 

 Leranos, and Malta are of the typical form. — //. F. IV.'] 



CEnANTHE IIISPANICA XANTHOMEL^INA H. & E. 



Sa.ricola tiiapanica xanthomel(Ena Ilempr. &Ehr. : Ilartcrt, 

 Yog. pal. Fauna, vol. i. p. 687. 



The Black-eared and Black-throated Wheatears were only 

 met with to the eastward of Malta and Sicily, those to the 

 westward, ^. e. in Sardinia and Spain, being presumably of 

 the western form, although no specimens of the latter were 

 obtained. 



In Sicily there seemed to be no Wheatears breeding ; at 

 Malta there certainly were none, neither could any certain 

 records of Black-eared or Black-throated Wheatears, even on 

 migration, be obtained ; while in the first week of May in 

 Sardinia the few seen were all dull-plumaged birds apparently 

 on migration, or at all events not breeding, although at this 

 date nests with eggs are plentiful further westward. Such a 



