426 Captain S. G. Reid on the 



Josd told us there were only two pairs in this small patch of 

 forest ; and his statement was apparently soon verified by the 

 discovery of two nests, both in " breso/' or tree-lieath [Erica 

 arbor ea), but both empty. We saw our first Pigeon, how- 

 ever, and were contented. On the 16th we again rode 

 out to the place, and were lucky enough to see a Pigeon fly 

 ofii" a third nest in a '' haya '^ tree, a little lower down the 

 hill, but close to the other two. This contained a single 

 much-incubated egg, and is now, with the egg, in my collec- 

 tion. We lay in wait under shelter of neighbouring trees 

 and obtained both birds. There is no doubt as to the species 

 — they are C. hollii of Godman, with no white at the tip of 

 the tail. All inquiries from Josd, as well as from intelli- 

 gent natives of other parts of Tenerifl'e, to say nothing of the 

 valuable testimony of Baeza himself, prove that this is the 

 Pigeon of the island, and I think it doubtful if the white- 

 tailed species, C. laurivora, occurs there at all. 



The nests were similar to those of our familiar C. palumbus, 

 slight, but tolerably compact structures of small twigs, about 

 10 feet from the ground. It is somewhat remarkable that 

 only one egg is laid. My egg, above mentioned, was con- 

 siderably incubated, and Jose, who obtained another single 

 egg for me about a fortnight later, declared that no more 

 were ever deposited. The eggs measure, on the average, 1"72 

 by 1"16 inch, and are, of course, of the ordinary Pigeon 

 type. It is perhaps worth mentioning that the male bird 

 returned first to the nest and was shot about half an hour 

 after our discovery ; his crop was full of the leaves of some 

 shrub. The female did not present herself for nearly three 

 hours, her crop being crammed with laurel-berries. They 

 are undoubtedly very shy birds, even in the nesting-season. 

 Jose assured us that they breed at intervals all the year 

 round, which, in a climate like that of Teneriflfe, is, I think, 

 quite possible. 



I regret that this is all the direct evidence I can furnish 

 as to the distribution of the Pigeons of the Canaries. The 

 only other skin in my collection, obtained for me subse- 

 quently by my friend Don Fernando del Hoyo^ a zealous 



