THE IBIS, 



NINTH SERIES. 



No. IV. OCTOBER 191.2. 



XX VIII. — The Birds of Gran Canaria. 

 By David A. Bannerman, B.A., M.B.O.U., F.R.G.S. 



(Plates IX.-XII.) 



The island o£ Gran Canaria is situated approximately in 

 latitude 28° N., longitude 15° 30' W., and is noteworthy 

 cliietly on account of its equable and delightful climate. 

 Moreover, it has lately grown to be a most important ship- 

 ping centre, large numbers of vessels calling at Las Palmas 

 on their way to and from the south. In consequence, many 

 people winter there every year, and to an ornithologist the 

 island is full of interest. During the many weeks which I 

 liave spent there annually for tlie past five years, I have 

 devoted almost all my time to studying the birds and to 

 making a representative collection for the Natural History 

 Museum. The results of my observations and those of 

 former naturalists who have visited Gran Canaria are 

 contained in this paper. Although much has appeared in 

 * The Ibis ' on the birds of the other islands of the group, 

 yet Gran Canaria has been almost entirely neglected. The 

 only article * dealing with the ornithology of this island as 

 a whole was published by Herr von Thanner, on the results 

 of a collecting-trip marie by him in 1909. 



In shape the island is almost round, and covers an area 



* ' Oniitliologisches Jahrbuch/ xxi, 1910. 

 SER. IX. VOL. VI. 2 K 



