Philip Gossc—Birds of the Balearic Islands



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whether the Balearic Goldfinch is the same as the Spanish and North

African race, C. c. africanus, or whether it is more nearly allied to

C. c. tschusii of Sardinia and Corsica. The Balearic Goldfinch has

a remarkably small wing, 71-73 mm. in those I have examined.

It is, however, not so dark on the back as C. c. parva, the Atlantic

island form. If it is not C. c. africanus (there are very few specimens

of this bird available for comparison) it may be a new race worthy of

a distinct name.


*Serinus canarius serious. —The Serin Finch is fairly common in

all the islands, amongst the pines, singing furiously while hunting for

food amongst the cones.


* Passer domesticus domestic us.— Common. I failed to see

P. montanus , however.


*Fringilla ccelebs. —Although the Chaffinch swarms in Mallorca,

I did not see a single specimen in the other two islands. The song

struck me as being much inferior to that of the British bird. Further

examination may ])ossiblv show that this bird is identical with the

Corsican Chaffinch ( F. c. tyrrhenica). In any case it is not the typical

species.


*Acanthis cannabina medilerranea. —The Mediterranean Linnet is

common in all three islands.


*Emberiza calandra calandra. —The Corn Bunting is plentiful,

particularly at Mallorca, but very difficult to get near to. It lives

in small flocks in the open meadows and is very wary.


Emberiza hortulana. —What appeared to be an Ortolan Bunting

was seen at Santa Eulalia on April 12.


*Galerida tfieJdce polatzeki. —Polatzek’s Crested Lark was common

at Alcudia in the first week of April. One specimen had a well-formed

egg in its cloaca. A few were seen in the neighbourhood of the town

of Iviza, but none at Santa Eulalia. They were present in fair numbers

in Formentera. This Lark was originally described from the Island

of Iviza.


*Calandrella brachydactyla brachydactyla. —A few Short-toed Larks

were seen and one obtained in the marshes at Alcudia on April 7, and

a few seen near the city of Iviza in the island of that name.


*Motacilla flava cinereocapilla. —This form of the Blue-headed



