386 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



their first arrival began to be taken by means of the bat net, so 

 that there soon appeared a very sensible diminution of these 

 birds. 



17th. — Some Plovers and Dotterels were the only game to be 

 seen in the Valletta Market. 



19th. — A few Lapwings. 



20th. — Plovers and some Woodcocks. 



21st. — A fresh wind from the S.S.W. ; we had also a little 

 shower. I saw two Firecrests at the railway station at 

 Birchircara. 



22nd. — A very light S.W. wind. I saw five Firecrests at 

 St. Antonio Gardens, also some Linnets, two or three Chaf- 

 finches, and a good number of Sparrows. 



26th. — A thunderstorm of exceptional intensity passed over 

 the island during the early hours of the morning; the rain con- 

 tinued almost all day long. Firecrests appeared in abundance, 

 and apparently they were the only birds noticed. 



28th. — The wind blew rather strongly from the N.W. I saw 

 a Firecrest in the Maglio and two Blackcaps in the Argotti 

 Gardens. A Coot, four Quails, and three Plovers were brought 

 into the Valletta Market. 



29th. — The wind, which was rather mild, blew from north 

 to east ; we had a fall of temperature. Plovers and Woodcocks 

 were taken. 



December. 



Unless otherwise stated, all the birds noted during this 

 month were seen at the Valletta Market. 



1st. — It was reported to me that a flock of twenty-seven 

 Cranes were seen coming from the north ; they alighted on the 

 rocks in the vicinity of Naxaro. One was shot near the Salina. 

 Woodcocks, Lapwings, and a few Larks at market. 



2nd. — Lapwings and Golden Plovers (these in very limited 

 numbers), many Song-Thrushes, two Blackbirds, two Mistle- 

 Thrushes, one Horned and one Little Grebe, many Skylarks, 

 amongst which I found a Short-toed Lark ; this is in my opinion 

 a noteworthy occurrence, in fact, I have never before seen a 

 Short-toed Lark so late in the year. 



