Mr. C. A. Wright on Birds observed in Malta and Gozo. 223 
“ fixed bayonets/'’ Their visits used to be repeated at in¬ 
tervals of every fifteen or twenty minutes. The drake never 
went into the hole; and I am therefore inclined to believe 
that he does not lend his aid in the performance of the 
duties of incubation. 
The greatest number of eggs laid by the Goslet, of which I 
have a record, is twelve. This nest was taken by Mr. Spry 
at Budaon in August last. The hole occupied was at no great 
height ; but it was 3J feet deep, and only large enough to 
admit of ingress and egress; the contents had to be removed 
by means of an iron spoon something like a soup-ladle with 
an extra-long handle. 
The eggs are obtusely pointed ovals, and certainly large 
for the size of the bird; they measure 1*7 x 1*3 inch, and in 
shape and colour are exactly similar to those of the Whistling 
Teal. 
XXVII.— Fifth Appendix to a List of Birds observed in Malta 
and Gozo*, By Charles A. Wright, C.M.Z.S. 
269. Saxicola leucopyga, Brehm; vel Saxicola leucoce- 
phala, Brehm. 
At length I am able to add an entirely new bird to the 
avifauna of Europe. I allude to Saxicola leucopyga , which, 
before the advent of the specimen now under notice, had not 
been observed on the European continent or any of its ad¬ 
jacent islands. It was shot on the 18th of April, 1872, by 
Signor Vitali, a public weigher of Her Majesty's Customs, 
on some rocky ground, called Tal capucini , on the south side 
of the Grand Harbour, in the Cotonnera district. It was set 
up by Signor Francesco Ellul, and came into my hands im¬ 
mediately afterwards. The head, nape, and rump are pure 
white ; the tail white, slightly marked with brown towards 
the extremities of the feathers, except the two central feathers, 
which are dark brown. The rest of the plumage is silky 
black or very dark brown. There is no doubt now, I be¬ 
lieve, of the identity of this bird with Saxicola leucopyga. 
* For Fourth, Appendix see Ibis, 1870, p. 488, et seq. 
Ti 2 
