Birds of Gran Canaria. 563 



The Pinar Pajonal commences at about 3000 ft. above 

 Puerto Mogan, and on the slopes above Juncal the path 

 through the pines reaches an altitude of 4000 ft. Fresh 

 Avater is to be found in abundance near the Cueva de Las 

 Ninas, and several deep pools of icy water are hidden in the 

 depths of the forest. 



Division lY. — The Plains and Sandhills. 

 (Plate XI. fig. 1.) 



From Carrisal to Arguineguin is to be found perhaps the 

 most desolate country in the whole island, and in conse- 

 quence bird-life is exceedingly scarce. Looking down from 

 behind the town of Aguimes, an immense flat plain stretches 

 out before us from Carrisal to Juan Grande. The Ion"- 

 ride across this desert is monotonous in the extreme. Tlie 

 ground is strewn with loose stones and boulders, and in 

 parts is fairly thickly covered with Euphorbia (of which 

 Gran Canaria possesses eleven different species) and another 

 shrub named Plocama j^endula. 



From Juan Grande, where a certain amount of cultivation 

 has taken place, the plain continues much as before, save 

 that giant Euphorbia canariensis is found growing abun- 

 dantly. This district is said to be of great interest to 

 geologists. Nearing INIaspolomas the ground begins to rise 

 slightly, and a considerable amount of drifted sand covers 

 the surface. Throughout this entire waste birds are seldom 

 seen — Trumpeter Bullfinches, Short-toed Larks, Berthelot's 

 Pipits, and a fcAv Vultures, Kestrels, and E-avens being the 

 only species found. I had hoped to meet with some form 

 of Desert-Lark in this part of the island, but in this I was 

 disappointed. As we neared the "Charco^' the route lay- 

 over an elevated plateau close to the sea on which were 

 ^YO^Miw^ Plocama pendula and scattered clumps of Euphorbia 

 bushes ; this in turn gave way to sandhills covered Avith a 

 scanty vegetation ; several Norfolk Plovers were flushed as 

 we passed through the belt of Euphorbia, but were never 

 seen far from these bushes. The plateau and sandhills are 

 the true home of the Courser, small parties of which were 



