120 BIEDS THAT BREED IN MADEIRA DESCRIBED, [chap. VI. 



houses, on the rocks by the sea — there is no place that it does 

 not frequent: it differs thus in habits, though in nothing 

 else, from the ring-sparrow of Europe. 



The Buff-breasted Chaffinch is nearly identical with the bird 

 figured, under the name of FringiUa tintillon, in Webb and 

 Berthelot's work on the Canary Islands. 



The Greater ftedpole, or Linnet, is very abundantly met 

 with : it differs from the English linnet only in retaining its 

 carmine colouring, which is very bright, through the year. 



The Lesser Swift is mentioned in Brewster's Journal by 

 Dr. Heinekerj under the title of "Black-chinned Swift:" this 

 property is, however, by no means general amongst the spe- 

 cies. I have several in my possession with the chin fully as 

 white as that of the common swift: one of the chief differ- 

 ences is in size, the unicolor being much the smallest ; the 

 tail is forked about an inch and a half, and the plumage is 

 rather darker than that of the common swift. 



The Common Swift is not quite so plentiful as the lesser 

 swift ; both species remain in the island throughout the year ; 

 their nests are built in the cliffs ; their habits vary from 

 those of swifts in England; here they seem to take the place 

 of the swallow, hunting and skimming along the ground in a 

 manner that would appear very degrading to their northern 

 brethren. Dr. Heineken says*, " The swallow and snipe are 

 said to be periodical visitors, and the reason both for the 

 migratory habits of these birds, as well for the stationary 

 habits of the woodcock and swift, is very readily to be found, 

 I suspect, in one common cause, namely, food. The wood- 

 cock finds its food about spring-heads, the margins of little 

 mountain-rills, water-courses, &c. These are neither dried 



* Zoological Journal, No. 17, Art. xvii. 



