240 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



A List of the Birds of Malta. By Giuseppe Despott. 



Mr. Despott, who is Curator of the University Museum of 

 Natural History at Malta, has compiled a useful list, with local 

 as well as English and scientific names, of the birds observed at 

 Malta up to the end of last year. Most of these are visitants 

 on migration only, and many of them uncommon at that, the 

 chief regular breeders being the Blue Bock Thrush {Monticola 

 cyanus), Spectacled Warbler (Sylvia conspicillata) , Spanish 

 Sparrow (Passer hispaniolensis) , Corn-Bunting (Emberiza mili- 

 aria), Short-toed Lark (Calandrellabrachydactyla), Kestrel (Falco 

 tinnunculus), Southern Herring-Gull (Larus cachinnans), and 

 Storm Petrel (Procellaria pelagica). There seems to be a 

 regrettable diminution in many species. 



Some occurrences are .very remarkable, such as that of the 

 Indian Brahminy Kite (Haliatur Indus), though this harbour- 

 haunting bird might easily accompany a ship ; and that of the 

 Algerian Bush-Babbler (Argya fulva), which we consider more 

 curious than that of Porphyrio coeruleus, which Mr. Despott 

 excludes. True, the species is local, but it can swim, and the 

 Rallidce generally are notorious for turning up in out-of-the- 

 way places. 



Hamlyn's Menagerie Magazine. Nos. 1, 2. Monthly, Is. 

 London, 1915. 



We are glad to welcome ' Hamlyn's Menagerie Magazine,' 

 as the work of our animal dealers has never received sufficient 

 recognition from zoologists, though the German firm of Hagen- 

 beck has been lauded to the skies. Mr. Hamlyn relates in a 

 racy way some interesting episodes in a fascinating though very 

 speculative business — the provision of one thousand live Monkeys 

 at a fortnight's notice is really a remarkable feat — and if he can 

 induce his gifted wife to publish her unrivalled experience in 

 the management of Chimpanzees, he will be doing a real service 

 to science as well as promoting the business he has so long and 

 pluckily conducted. The second number is, if anything, better 

 than the first, and has two excellent photos of the Dublin Gorilla. 



