Malta

Climate and Hygiene.

The climate is, for the greater part of the year, temperate and healthy ; the thermometer records an annual mean of 67° F. Between June and September the temper ature ranges from 75° to 90° ; the mean for December, January and February is 56° ; March, May and November are mild.

Pleasant north-east winds blow for an average of i5o days a year, cool northerly winds for 31 days, east winds 7o days, west for 34 days. The north-west "Gregale" (Euroclydon of Acts xxvii. blows about the equinox, and occasionally, in the winter months, sometimes with almost hurricane force for three days together; it is recorded to have caused the drowning of 600 persons in the harbour in 1555. This wind was a constant menace to shipping at anchor; the breakwater on the Monarch Shoal was designed to resist its ravages. The regular tides are hardly perceptible, but, under the influence of barometric pressure and wind, the sea level occasionally varies as much as 2 ft. The average rainfall is 21 in. ; it is, however, uncertain; periods of drought have ex tended over three years. Snow is seen once or twice in a genera tion; violent hailstorms occur. On Oct. 19, 1898, exceptionally large hailstones fell—one, over 4 in. in length, being brought to the governor for inspection. Undulent fever was traced by Colonel, now Sir David Bruce to a micrococcus melitensis. The supply of water under pressure is widely distributed and excel lent. There is a modern system of drainage for the towns, which is being extended to the villages, and all sewerage has been intercepted from the Grand Harbour. There are efficient hos pitals and asylums, a system of sanitary inspection, and mod ernized quarantine stations.

Flora.

It is hardly possible to differentiate between imported and indigenous plants. Among the marine flora may be men tioned Porphyra laciniata, the edible laver; Codium tomentosum, a coarse species; Padina pavonia, common in shallow water; Ulva latissima; Haliseris polypodioides; Sargassum bacciferum ; the well-known gulf weed, probably transported from the Atlantic; Zostera marina, forming dense beds in muddy bays; the roots are cast up by storms and are valuable as a fertilizer to dress the fields. Among the land plants may be noted the blue anemone; the ranunculus along the road-sides, with a strong perfume of violets; the Malta heath which flowers at all seasons; Cynomo rium coccineum, the curious "Malta fungus," formerly so valued for medicinal purposes that a guard was set for its preservation under the rule of the Knights ; the pheasant's-eye ; three species of mallow and geranium ; Oxalis cernua, a very troublesome im ported weed; Lotus edulis; Scorpiurus subvillosa, wild and culti vated as forage; two species of the horseshoe-vetch; the opium poppy; the yellow and claret-coloured poppy; wild rose; Cratae gus azarolus, of which the fruit is delicious preserved ; the ice plant; squirting cucumber; many species of Umbelliferae; Labia tae, to which the spicy flavour of the honey (equal to that of Mt. Hymettus) is ascribed; snapdragons; broom-rape; glass

wort; Salsola soda, which produces when burnt a considerable amount of alkali; there are 15 species of orchids ; the gladiolus and iris are also found; Urginia scilla, the medicinal squill, abounds with its large bulbous roots near the sea; 17 species of sedges and 77 grasses have been recorded.

Fauna.—There are four species of lizard and three non venomous snakes; a land tortoise, a turtle and a frog. Of birds very few are indigenous; the jackdaw, blue solitary thrush, spec tacled warbler, the robin, kestrel and the herring-gull. Over 200 migratory bird-species have been enumerated. The only wild mammalia in the island are the hedgehogs and two species of weasel.

Malta has several species of zoophytes, sponges, mollusca and crustacea. Insect life is represented by plant-bugs, locusts, crickets, grasshoppers, cockroaches, dragon-flies, butterflies, numerous varieties of moths, bees and mosquitoes.

Among the fish may be mentioned the tunny, dolphin, mackerel, sardine, sea-bream, dentice and pagnell; wrasse, of exquisite rain bow hue and good for food ; members of the herring family, sar dines, anchovies, flying-fish ; sea-pike ; a few representatives of the cod family, and some flat fish; soles (very rare) ; Cernus which grows to large size; several species of grey and red mullet; II species of Triglidae, including the beautiful flying gurnard; and 18 species of mackerel, all migratory.