558 Mr. D. A. Banncrman on the 



of 635 square miles (by tlie planimeter) : the distance from 

 north to south is 34^ miles and from east to west 29 miles. 

 The nearest point of Tenerife is distant 37 miles and that 

 of Fuerteventura 50 miles. On the east coast nndu- 

 latiii"- plains roll up from the sea to the '' Cumbres,'^ which 

 take up the greater part of the interior and, viewed from 

 the sea, give the island a very mountainous appearance. 

 Los Pechos, the highest ridge, is 6400 ft. high, and the 

 Roque ISIublo, 6110 ft., appears as an isolated pillar of rock 

 about two miles to the northwards. Peep barrancos, winch 

 run from the coast far into the heart of the mountains, split 

 up the island, and, indeed, some of these ravines are truly 

 immense, notably the Barrancos de Tirajana, Fatarga, de la 

 A^irgen, and Tejeda (de la Aldea) — the last-named when seen 

 from the coast appearing to divide the island into two parts. 

 The " Isleta" — the northern portion — appears as a detached 

 conical islet separated from the mainland by an isthmus 

 composed largely of drifted sand. 



The accompanying map (Plate IX.) which I have prepared 

 will shew the various expeditions that I have made and the 

 localities in which birds have been collected. 



For the convenience of those Avho are not acquainted with 

 Gran Canaria, I have split ixp the island into six Divisions, 

 which arc all more or less clearl\' defined : — 



Division I. — Monte (ind Tlie J'cya. (Cultivated districts in the north,) 



Dis'ision II. — The Cumbrcs. I'late X. fig. I. (The mountain range in 

 the centre of the ishvud.) 



Division III. — The Fhiar, Plate X. fig. '2. (A large tract of pine- 

 forests covering the mountainous countrj^ in the south 

 and south--\vest.) 



Division IV. — iJesert-Uhe Flains. Plate XI. fig. 1. (Including tlie sand- 

 hills of Maspalonias.) 



Division V. — The Chavco. Plate XI. tig. 2. (The lagoons and swampy 

 country found on the Maspalonias coast.) 



Division YI. — The Western Zone. (The wild rochy country bordering 

 the western const-line.) 



The members of the Fauna inhabiting these six divisions 

 differ strikingly one from the other. 



