1 919] Birds of tlie Canary Islunch. Ill 



In tlie eastern group Polatzek records two big flights 

 which came to Haria in Lanzarote on the 15th of November, 

 and which remained in the neighbourhood for a fortnight, 

 when all disappeared save twenty birds (Orn. Jahrb. 1909, 

 p. 126). These birds, Polatzek says, were very dark-coloured. 

 I have not seen any examples Avhich he may have obtained, 

 but there is little doubt that the birds belonged to the 

 typical form, the north-west African subspecies A. a. har- 

 terti Whitaker (Terra typica: Tunisia) being browner in 

 coloration and having a longer bill. 



In the spring several specimens have been recorded by 

 von Thanner : two from Gran Canaria on 25 February, 

 1909, and six from the same island on 1 March^ 1909 (Orn. 

 Jahrb. 1910, p. 86) ; also several seen in Fuerteventura on 

 26 February, 1910 (Orn. Jahrb. 1910, p. 229). 



A. arvensis is mentioned by Ledru (1810), Webb and 

 Berthelot (1841), and other Spanish writers, but little 

 reliance can be placed on these early records. 



Prior to Meade-Waldo's sojourn in the Archipelago 

 all naturalists appear to have confused the Short-toed 

 Larks {Calandrelki) of the islands with the typical European 

 Sky-Lark (Alauda). 



Range. Alauda a. arvensis breeds over a great part of 

 Europe and winters mainly in North Africa. In West Africa 

 it probably extends in winter fai'ther south than is generally 

 supposed ; otherwise I. am at a loss to account for its regular 

 occurrence in the Canary Archipelago. 



Although there are examples from Tangier, Algeria, and 

 Tunisia in the British Museum, there are none from West 

 Africa. There is, however, a single specimen from INIadeira, 

 which was obtained on 9 November, 1893. 



In the Tring ]\Iuseum, however, 1 have examined skins 

 from Mogador (Nov.), Mazagan (Jan. & Feb.). 



Calandrella minor rufescens. Tenerife Short-toed Lark. 

 Alauda rufescens Vieillot, Tabl. Enc. et Meth. i. 1820. 

 p. 322— Type locality : Tenerife. 



