Birds of Gran Canaria. 571 



this liidden valley. I was at once struck by llie number of 

 Partridges to be seen ; on every side of the valley tliey were 

 calling- one another; the birds, silhouetted against the sLy, 

 were perched on some high rock, whence they kept up an 

 incessant babel until nightfall, only to begin again at the 

 first signs of dajlight. 



Another part of the island, very different in character, 

 where these birds are found is amongst the almond-groves of 

 Tirajana; many are shot there annually bj' the Spaniards and 

 sent to Las Palmas. I have often seen these birds kept as 

 pets in a small cage, and one whicli belongs to a shopkeeper 

 in Las Palmas has become remarkably tame. 



Examples of Caccahis petrosa {? koenigi), the form fouiul 

 in Tcnerife, Gomera, and Lanzarote, have been recently 

 turned out in Gran Canaria. If they survive the atten- 

 tions of the Spanish sportsmen I have no doubt they will 

 successfully establish themselves in this island. 



CoTunNix coTURNix. Migratory Quail. 



CoTURNix c. AFRiCANA. African Quail. 



Both these species of Quail are undoubtedly found in 

 the Canary Islands, and although I have not actually any 

 examples from Gran Canaria in my possession, yet it is safe 

 to assume that they both occur there. 



Mr. Meade-Waldo obtained both forms in the neigh- 

 bouring island of Tenerife. The resident subspecies C. c. 

 africana interbreeds with the migratory Quail C. cntnrnix, 

 and consequently hybrid birds in intermediate plumage 

 are often seen. Male examples of the resident subspecies 

 are readily distinguished from C. coturnix by having " the 

 lores, sides of the head, chin, and. throat bright rufous- 

 chestnut,^^ instead of pure white with a black anchor-shaped 

 mark down the middle. The females are indistinguishable. 



Quails, many of whicli are resident in the island, are, I 

 believe, not nearly so rare in Gran Canaria as they appear 

 to be. They are very hard to flush from the fields of beans, 

 &c., which they frequent, and without dogs are easily passed 

 over. Shooting, in February 19L2, above San Mateo, I 



