ORNITHOLOGICAL REPORT FOR MALTESE ISLANDS. 379 



annually, usually appears during August and September. 

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

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

 is preserved in oar Museum. 



(2) A young female Peregrine Falcon (Falco pcregrinus) was 

 shot in Wied il Buni by my 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, specimens which have been taken in Malta. According 

 to Schembri, the species was rather common in the island 

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

 (Tbe bird which bred here is very probably the Falco peregrinus 

 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 (Cahtndrella brachydactyla) 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- 

 paniolensis) late in November, a case perbaps unique. 



(6) The Black Bedstart (Ruticilla titys), which is a rather 

 scarce visitor, was pretty common during this season. 



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

 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 found a nest in which 

 eggs were still being laid. 



