ORN IT HU LOGICAL RlWUltT FOR MALTESE ISLANDS. 379 



annually, usually appears during August and September. 

 Wright says that a specimen in ids collection was killed in Gozo 

 at the end of August, 1857 ; this is perhaps the specimen which 

 is preserved in our MuB'Him. 



(2) A young female Peregrine Falcon {F<dco })eregnims) was 

 shot in Wied il Buni by ray friend Mr. L. Cachia Zammit, who 

 was good enongh to send it to me. This is the only specimen 

 which I have seen in the flesh ; I know, however, of other, 

 stuffed, s[)ecimens which have been taken in Malta. According 

 to Schembri, the S[)ecie5 was rather common in the island 

 during his time, and was also one of our breeding species. 

 (Tbe bird whicii bred here is very probably the Falc; percfp-iiius 

 brookei, which is the Mediterranean race.) Wright does not 

 state its frequency here, but from his list it does not appear to 

 have been very rare ; certainly its rarity to-day is quite un- 

 questionable, and so I have no hesitation in putting down the 

 present occurrence as one of exceptional importance. 



(3) An exceptional passage of Honey-Buzzards {Pernis 

 apivorus) which have lately become rather scarce, occurred on 

 September 15. 



(4) A Short-toed Lark (Calindrella hrachyclactyla) was 

 taken on December 2, an exceptionally late date for the 

 occurrence of the species in Malta. 



(5) The nesting of a pair of Spanish Sparrows (Passer his- 

 pan'wlensis) late in November, a case perhaps unique. 



(6) The Black Eedstart {Kuticilla titi/a), which is a rather 

 scarce visitor, was pretty common during this season. 



(7) Late in December, amongst the Adriatic Gulls {Lariis 

 melanocephalus) taken, there were two ringed specimens marked 

 M.K. Ornith. Kozpout, Budapest, 5358, and M.K. Ornith. Koz- 

 pout, Budapest, 5573. 



July. 



During the whole of this month the most common species 

 were the Spanish Sparrow and Sardinian Warbler ; next came 

 the Spectacled Warbler and Short-toed Lark. Sparrows' nests 

 continued to be rather common up to the middle of the month, 

 and even during the last week of it I fouud a nest in which 

 eggs were still being laid. 



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