76 Captain S. G. Reid on (he 



east side^ aud tliat the species found tlier-e was the] Red-legged 

 Partridge (C. rufa). I made many inquiries about this, and, 

 on the whole, am inclined to believe his statement, which I 

 hope to see verified at no very distant date. 



It is quite possible that C. rufa has been introduced into 

 Gran Canaria ; but it will be somewhat curious if it is the 

 only species occurring there, and C. petrosa the only one in 

 Teneriffe. 



Viera says of the " Perdiz," that it is common to both 

 Canaria and Teneriffe, and has been introduced without suc- 

 cess into Palma. In his description of the bird he says it has 

 the neck and gorge bordered with dark spots (manchitas os- 

 curas). Whether this applies to C rufa or to C.petrosa seems 

 uncertain, but I should say the former, for C. petrosa has 

 white spots on a chocolate or rich red ground, 



Quails are resident in numbers in Teneriffe, and very good 

 sport is to be had, especially near Tacoronte and Laguna, in 

 the months of August and September. A moderate shot is 

 dissatisfied with less than 20 couple, I am informed, and many 

 thousands must be killed every year. Still they do not 

 appear to diminish in numbers, and during the months of 

 February and March I was constantly putting them up in 

 the maize- and wheat-fields, whilst their curious triple note 

 was to be heard on all sides. 



I, of course, saw nothing of the Bustard of the eastern 

 islands — the Houbara {Otis undidata). It is not found 

 except in Fuerteventura, where it is apparently common, and 

 in Lanzarote, where it is scarce or accidental. I saw a pair 

 of eggs in the museum at Tacoronte, which were small edi- 

 tions of those of 0. tarda. There seems to be no doubt about 

 the species, but I should much like to have obtained a 

 specimen. 



Under the name " polla de agua^" Viera, in his Dictionary 

 (1799), describes the Moorhen {Gallimda chloropus), and 

 states that it has occurred occasionally in Gran Canaria ; but 

 I do not think it has been obtained in Teneriffe. He also 

 mentions the Common Coot {Fulica atra) as occurring and 

 breeding in Gran Canaria. It is certainly found in Teneriffe, 



