Migratory Birds of Madeira and the Canaries. 159 



have published a most comprehensive work on the botany and 

 zoology of the Canaries, including in the latter the ornithology ; 

 but probably the best authority on this last-named subject is 

 Dr. IBolle, who has written several papers in the ' Journal fiir 

 Ornithologie' *. Mr. Vernon Harcourt has given very com- 

 plete lists of the birds of Madeira in the ' Proceedings of the 

 Zoological Society/ and the ' Annals and Magazine of Natural 

 History'f. Lastly, I must not omit to mention a short paper 

 written by Prof. Newton in this Journal, and entitled " Two 

 Days in Madeira"^. As might be supposed, from so hurried a 

 visit, the latter article contains rather suggestions for future 

 ornithologists to work out than new information respecting the 

 birds inhabiting the island. I have freely made use of the works 

 of all these authors, and, in most cases where I have done so, 

 have mentioned whence my information has been derived; the 

 remainder is from what came under my own notice. 



Unfortunately, in consequence of the prevalence of smallpox 

 in Europe last year, I experienced considerable annoyance and 

 delay through the stringent quarantine regulations enforced by 

 the Spanish and Portuguese Governments, rendering commu- 

 nication between the several islands very diflScult. Indeed, 

 through the loss of time thus entailed, I found it quite impossible 

 to visit as many of them as I had intended ; and instead of 

 spending four months between the two groups, I was obliged 

 to be content with two, as, in leaving the Canaries for Ma- 

 deira, I was compelled to go through Spain, and take the 

 steamer again from Lisbon, all direct intercourse between 

 the islands being prohibited. My time being thus sadly curtailed, 

 I thought it better to pass the greater part of what remained in 

 Teneriffe, the most important of the Canaries, making a short 

 trip to Palma and Gran Canary, and thence afterwards going to 

 Madeira, as I have already said, via Cadiz and Lisbon. Under 

 ordinary circumstances these islands are very accessible from 



* J. fiir Orn. 1854, pp. 447-462 ; 1855, pp. 171-181 ; 1857, pp. 258- 

 292 ; 1858, pp. 225-228 ; 18G2, pp. 357-360. 



t P. Z. S., 1851, pp. 141-146 ; Ann. & Mag. N. H. 2nd ser. vol. xii. 

 pp. 58-63 (1853) ; vol. xv. pp. 430-438 (1855). 



t Ibis, 1863, pp. 185-195. 



N 2 



