( 80 ) 



ON THE BIRDS OE THE AZOEES. 



r>v ERNST HARTEKT, Ph.D., and W. K. OGILVIE-GRANT. 



(Plate III.) 



ri^HIS is believed to be a complete list of all birds hitherto known to orciir 

 J- in the Azores either regularly or as oucasional visitors. Tlie aeconut of the 

 expedition, field notes, and notes on nests and eggs, as well as the list of the 

 birds in the Ponta Delgada Museum, are written by Mr. Ogilvie-Grant. 



For the identification of the specimens in the Ponta Delgada Musenm 

 Mr. Ogilvie-Grant is alone responsible, except in cases where a specimen 

 has been presented by that museum to the British Museum. In these cases 

 Dr. Hartert has also seen these specimens and has identified them, and in no 

 case was there any difference of opinion. The nomenclature of the species and 

 the lists of specimens collected, descriptions of new forms and systematic dis- 

 cussions are by Dr. Hartert. To make it quite obvious who wrote each part of the 

 article, everything written by Mr. Ogilvie-Grant is enclosed in square brackets. 

 The ornis of the Azores is poor in species and entirely palaearctic 

 We must accept as certain the occurrence of about 12^) species, while three 

 or four others, mentioned by former writers, must be considered as more or less 

 doubtful (see under Nos. 2.3, 44, 00, 60, 8.3, 94j. Of these, 20 or 27 breed regularly, 

 and apparently have not been introduced by man. Some forms are perfectly the 

 same as those found in Europe generally, as for example Srolopax rust/cola, 

 Eritkacui rubecula, Sijhia atricapilla. Others are very slightly differentiated 

 from their European representatives, — as for example, Columba palumhus azorica, 

 Sturnus culyaris granti, Regidus rcgidtis azoricus, Turdus merula azorensis. 

 One, the grey Bullfinch, is remarkably distinct, and mostly considered as a 

 good species. A few only are the same as, or closely allied to, the Madeiran 

 and Canarian forms : Serinus tscrinus canaria, Fringilla coelebs mordetti, Butco 

 bntco insularum, Motacilla boanda schmitzi ; but none of the more remarkable 

 species peculiar to the Madeiran and Canarian groups inhabit the Azores. The 

 list of occasional visitors is large, and specially rich in American species, but 

 many European birds touch these islands on their migrations to or from Africa, 

 when deviating westwards from their route. 



The literature dealing with the birds of the Azores is not large. The 

 following articles are all we are aware of : 



Pncherau : " Observations sur deux especes de Passereaux originaires des 

 Azores." In Rev. et Mag. Zool. 1859. pp. 409-14. 



BEorelet : Notice sxr rilistoi/c Xatarelle des Azores. Paris, 1800. 



lOiiuuieration of thirty species. 



Sronet : Klanents de la Faune Agorce/ute. Paris, 1801. 



This generally very useful book contains a list of forty-six species, but at 

 least one or two are erroneously identified — for example, the Wood-pigeon is 

 called Columba trocaz! 



