Birds of the Canary Islands. 11 



while quite a baby. With L. algeriensis occurs also L. hemi- 

 leucurus, — at least a skin which I brought home has been so 

 named for me. 



The Hoopoe [Upupa epops) was more abundant here than 

 I have ever seen it before. By the end of March their young 

 were full-grown. On the plains the Black-breasted Sand 

 Grouse [Pterocles arenarvm) was common^ and, though it was 

 the commencement of their breeding-season, were still in 

 flocks. It was the exception to see pairs, but I often saw 

 single birds ; these were almost invariably hens. Another 

 species, probably P. a'chata, also occurs, but I did not meet 

 with it; the islanders call it '' Ganga mora,^^ P. arewarms- 

 being " Ganga parda." The flocks of P. arenarius were most 

 regular in their movements, the same flocks frequenting the 

 Same parts of the desert at the same hour of the day ; their 

 principal food was a small creeping trefoil. 



The Cream-coloured Courser [Cursurius gaUicus) was fairly 

 numerous and breedings it seemed to prefer the barest parts 

 of the desert, where the stones were mostly small. It had 

 bred very early, for on the 23rd of March I saw a young bird 

 almost able to fly, and also found a small young one. The 

 old birds did not make any fuss when I was close to their 

 young or eggs, simply running away and, when I approached, 

 going a little further, generally creeping about 50 yards off". 

 The eggs were very diflicult to find, the only guide to their 

 whereabouts being the scratches made by the old birds before 

 finally fixing on a suitable place to lay. 



I found the Iloubara Bustard [Otis undulata) on all 

 suitable ground ; they preferred the plains near to the coast ; 

 their eggs were very easy to find. On March 24th a boy 

 brought me a fine young one, which throve well and quickly 

 became tamed ; but one moonlight night it walked out of 

 the door and escaped. Nearly all the eggs I found were 

 hard-set; 20th February would be their laying-time. The 

 old birds, though shy of people on foot, were very easily 

 approached by a little manoeuvi'ing on a donkey or camel. 

 On one occasion, after twice riding within ten yards of a fine 

 pair which had squatted, after being ridden after for a little 



