5G4 My. D. a. Banner man ow the 



to be seen in all directions. Trumpeter Bullfinclies Avere 

 present in small flocks and were remarkably tame. Other 

 species noted were Ravens and Rock-Pigeons, the latter in 

 immense flocks whicL do considerable damage to the crops. 



Division V. — The ''Charco" of Maspalomas. 

 (Plate XI. fig. 2.) 

 This " Charco " is utterly unlike anything else to be seen 

 ill any of the islands. It is best described by imagining a 

 fertile valley bounded on the one hand by sandy dried-up 

 plains and on the other by a stretcli of barren sandhills, 

 which together form a country quite unique in character. 

 Fresh water running from the hills into this valley becomes 

 dammed for about half a mile from tiic sea and forms a 

 considerable swamp; the main stream always appears to 

 be running, but on the right bank of this stream various 

 arms of stagnant, or almost stagnant, water stretch into the 

 tangled vegetation. This consists of tamarisk bushes, poplars, 

 stunted palms, tarajal bushes, mounds of coarse spiky grass, 

 and rushes. Two clumps of tall date-palms stand out above 

 everything and lend an extra charm to the scene. Some of 

 the lagoons and pools are very deep, the banks being thickly 

 overhung with coarse grass Avhich affords a perpetual hiding- 

 ground to the few water-biids which are to be found here. 

 At one corner of this " Charco," on the coast, is built the 

 Maspalomas Lighthouse, and from the summit of this I 

 mapped the country in the immediate neighboui'hood. At 

 high tide the sea runs up the main channel, which is then 

 transformed into a comparatively wide stretch of water, but 

 the salt water does not reach up the various lagoons. At 

 low tide a considerable stretch of sand is left bare, much of 

 it quicksand, and here innumerable waders may be found — 

 the Ringed Plover, Sanderling, Dunlin, and Kentish Plover 

 were all numerous in February, especially the Kentish 

 Plover, which I am sure breeds in the vicinity. Whimbrels 

 were occasionally noticed on the rocks by the light- 

 liouse, and Sandpipers were found near the edge of the 

 lagoons. At the time of my visit in February mucli of the 

 marsh was dry, but after heavy rains in the hills the 



