30 Canon H. B. Tristram — Ornithological 



the lower elevations down to the coast-line. I had already 

 obtained it among the chestnut-trees near San Mateo ; 

 but it is not nearly so numerous in Canaria as in the other 

 islands, in both of which I procured specimens. Some are 

 absolutely without any trace of white edgings to the second- 

 aries and greater wing-coverts, so conspicuous in Algerian 

 birds, but most of them have traces of the white tips more 

 or less distinct, and in one specimen, procured by Mr. Meade- 

 Waldo in the eastern island of Fuerteventura, the white ex- 

 tremities are larger than in Algerian specimens, while, as 

 might be expected in that desert soil, the whole blue plumage 

 is much paler than in any others I have seen, continental or 

 insular. 



We spent the whole day in the pine-forest, but with a 

 poor harvest, the only bird of interest I secured being the 

 Great Spotted Woodpecker, identical with our British bird, 

 and not, as has been suggested, Picus numidicus. Teneriffe 

 examples are identical with Canarian. But in the former 

 island, I believe that on more than one occasion I saw in the 

 laurel-forest Picus minor. I may here remark that there 

 seems to be no evidence whatever that Parus major has ever 

 been found in the Archipelago. Messrs. Webb and Ber- 

 thelot never saw it themselves, and it escaped Mr. Godman's 

 all-penetrating researches. 



Our next day^s expedition was in a northerly direction 

 from San Bartolemeo by the Paso de la Plata to the Eoque 

 del Nublo, the highest crest of Canaria, 6400 feet, and then 

 across the Cumbre down to San Mateo on the northern slope 

 of the central range. If not rewarded ornithologically, we 

 were certainly repaid by the magnificent scenery, which lost 

 none of its grandeur by a fall of snow during the preceding 

 night, which lightly covered the higher peaks. Even here we 

 found the Pipit, the French Partridge, and of course the Raven 

 {Corvus ting it anus), while the Little Swiit (^Cypselus unicolor) 

 was disporting itself far overhead. We descended upon Lecli- 

 uilla, above San Mateo, where begins what has been called 

 the garden of Canaria. The orange mingles with apple, 

 pear, quince, plum, cherry, peach, and almond trees, and here 



