Birds of Terieriffe. 77 



for I saw a live bird in Tacoronte in February^ which had 

 been captured in the vicinity^ and was looking healthy and 

 comfortable in a big cage. The hospitable owner informed 

 me that a few came every year to the island. 



I cannot include the " Gauga/^ or Sand Grouse of Fuer- 

 teventura [Pterocles arenarius) ,va. my list; but I may mention 

 that Viera, who calls it Lagopus pTjrenaica, Linn., gives_, in 

 his Dictionary, a description of a Pterocles as follows : — 



" A bird of the family of the Gallinules, and of the size of 

 a Partridge, whose beak is nearly straight, with the nostrils 

 at the base of the upper mandible united to the feathers of 

 the forehead. Its wings are long. From the tail start two 

 feathers half as long again as the others, getting gradually 

 thinner till they terminate in a point. The head, neck, and 

 shoulders show several points and spots, which are black, 

 greenish and red, while the lower portion of the body is 

 black. The feet are ashy, covered with a feathery down, 

 claws black. On the throat are three black lines, like a 

 necklace. It breeds in the island of Fuerteventura." 



This description would seem to apply to Pterocles alchata, 

 except that the abdomen is given as black, as in P. arenarius. 

 Perhaps both species have occurred, and the description has 

 thus got somewhat mixed. (See Dresser's ' Birds of Europe,' 

 vol. vii. pp. 63 & 70.) 



Viera carefully describes the Courser {Cur sorius g alliens) of 

 the eastern islands under the expressive name of " Engana- 

 muchachos " (Anglice " Cheat-the-boys "), from its habit of 

 squatting and permitting a near approach, and then running 

 off Like a greyhound, to the great disappointment of its would- 

 be captor. I need not say that this sand-loving bird is not 

 found in the rocky island of Teneriffe. 



The Stone Curlew {(Edicnenius scolopax) occurs sparingly 

 in the few suitable spots in Teneriffe, and breeds near Oro- 

 tava. I have eggs taken there in a comparatively level piece 

 of corn-field near the Botanical Gardens. I saw one or two 

 there, and also heard the note of the bird near Buena Vista. 



Viera describes the Golden Plover as occurring in flocks 

 in the rainy season, but I failed to obtain any information 



