Birds of Gran Cunaria. 573 



night, and di^oppiiig like stones from the heights abo\e. 

 Excellent shooting can be obtained by anyone hidden in the 

 cliffs or stationed in a boat beneath. 



In the Pinar Pajonal these were the only Pigeons seen, 

 and, indeed, they are the only ones now left in the island, 

 Cohimba boU'd having disappeared with the laurel forests. 



At Maspalomas and on the plains of Juan Grande these 

 Pigeons are found litei'ally in thousands, countless flocks 

 frequenting the fields of grain in the neighbourhood of 

 Maspalomas village : indeed, it is always a matter of great 

 surprise to me that there are any seeds left to flourish. They 

 nest undisturbed in the caves of the steep barrancos which 

 run inland, and in the high cliffs on the coast. 



TuRTUR TURTUR. Turtlc-Dovc. 



Turtur turtm- Bolle, J. f. O. 1857, pp. 331-332 ; Thanncr, 

 Orn. Jahrb. xxi. p. 98 (1910). 



A summer migrant to the island. Herr von Thanncr 

 records this bird from Aguineguin, where he noticed the 

 " first " arrival on March 13th. It is not found here in the 

 winter mouths. A Turtle-Dove was seen in the summer of 

 1911 on the fields between Las Palmas and the Port. 



There is one example, stuffed, in the Las Palmas Museum. 



FuLicA ATRA. Common Coot. 



Fulica atra Thanner, Orn. Jahrb. xxi. p. 100 (1910). 



Prom the description which Herr von Thanner gave of 

 the "Charco" at JNlaspalomas I expected to find several 

 pairs of both Coots and Moorhens. They were, on the 

 contiary, extremely rare. In fact, only on one occasion 

 did I catch a fleeting glance of a bird which I took to be of 

 this species. The conrlitions are ideal for Coots and Water- 

 hens to breed undisturbed. Herr von Thanner records it as 

 breeding in the lagoons of Maspalomas and also in the little 

 " Cliarco " of Arguineguin. 



Gallinula chloropuc. Waterhen. 



Gallinula chloropus Thanner, Orn. Jahrb. xxi. p. 100 

 (1910). 



The Moorhen is said by Herr von Thanner to be found 



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