432 Mr. E. V. Harcourt on the Ornithology of Madeira. 



young bird of the dark variety from the nest. Till this has been 

 done, the matter cannot be finally set at rest. 



The Wren {Regulus Maderensis, mihi) is the only feathered 

 inhabitant of Madeira which is absolutely peculiar to the island. 

 It is a true Regulus, but differs from the three best-known 

 European species, namely cristatus, ignicapillus, and modestus. 

 The following is an accurate description taken from two spe- 

 cimens in my possession : — It has the beak black, forehead 

 white, which colour extends backwards in the form of a small 

 band ; the base of the crest is black, the crest itself bright 

 orange, thus differing from ignicapillus, which has the crest fiery 

 red ; from the beak to the eye there is a small black band, 

 which does not go beyond the eye, and in that respect also it 

 differs from ignicajnllus ; the upper part of the neck and all the 

 back are olive-green, with a bright marking of orange-yellow on 

 each side of the neck ; the great wing-coverts are blackish, 

 tipped with buffy-white, and forming a band; the primaries are 

 brownish-black, with a narrow external edging of green ; the 

 secondaries are the same, but having a broad velvet-black mark 

 at the base ; the tail-feathers are brownish-black, tinged with 

 greenish-yellow on the outer web ; the chin and throat are 

 white, slightly tinged with green ; the rest of the under parts of 

 the body are white, slightly tinged with yellowish- green ; the 

 under wing-coverts are white ; the legs pale brown ; the entire 

 length is four inches ; from the carpus to the end of the wing two 

 and a quarter inches ; the length of the tarsus is three-quarters of 

 an inch; the middle toe and claw half an inch; the fourth, fifth and 

 sixth quill-feathers are of equal length, and the longest in the wing. 

 Believing that a bird of this species can have but a limited 

 range, and not finding it even in the list of birds of the Canary 

 Islands given by ^^'ebb and Berthelot, or in any of the lists of 

 African birds with which I am acquainted, I have ventured to 

 call it " Regulus Madei-ensis." The sex of the two birds in my 

 possession was not noted, but from the brightness of their 

 colours, which surpassed those of the Fire-crested, they were pro- 

 bably males. This bird lives amongst the laurel forests, and 

 principally amongst the Urze, or arborescent heath, in the least 

 frequented parts of the island ; the Portuguese give it the name 

 of "Abibe." 



The Spectacle Warbler [Curruca conspicillata, Gould) is veiy 

 locally distributed. It is found in brakes and bushes, at a some- 

 what high elevation, and where the solitude is seldom disturbed 

 by man. 



The Gray Wagtail [Motacilla boarula, Linn.) is very common, 

 frequenting the cisterns which are attached to every house, as well 

 as the streams, or levadas, where the washing is carried on, and 



