1 8 SOME BIRDS OF THE CANARY ISLANDS 



flying" u]) from a stone by the roadside, on which it has 

 been lying down, its usually prominent crest laid back 

 flat on its head, the bird itself remaining quite motion- 

 less. They are fond also of lying in this way on the 

 rough lava rocks, and it is but rarely that one sees them 

 until they fly up. The bird is conspicuous enough now, 

 as he flies away and perches on the top of a wall, his 

 crest now up, now down, or as he flutters in the air to 

 secure a passing butterfly, and settles again with his 

 victim held in his long, curved beak ; but that is because 

 he chooses to let himself be seen. 



I walked up the pass, and also the rest of the way 

 into La Oliva, the path being very good and the weather 

 delightfully cool. Our road now led along the slope of 

 a low mountain, and looking forward into the valley we 

 could see the first tinge of green that had met our gaze 

 since we landed, if we except the miniature and dried up 

 specimens of vegetation which here and there barely 

 raised their heads above the stones with which the 

 ground was everywhere covered. The green tinge 

 turned out to be young wheat, which is grown over a 

 considerable area near La Oliva, and in other parts of 

 the island where possible. When ripe the individual 

 stalks are gathered by hand and placed in small heaps, 

 as a cherished article, with stones on the top. La Oliva 

 beino- one of the chief wheat growino- centres, we were 

 evidently getting within measurable distance of it, but 

 we had still some way to go, the country as we pushed 

 on becoming gradually more cultivated. 



Tow^ards sunset we came in sight of a white church, 

 with some houses clustered round it, which our guide 

 told us was La Oliva. Another half-hour and the 



