Birds of Gran Canaria. 585 



can be seen from the following measurements of tlie wing. 

 Examples which Mr. Meade-Waldo shot iu Teuerife I am 

 unable to separate from European birds. 



Gran Canaria. Tenerife. 



^ 23 mm. ,$ 25 mm. 



? 22-5 „ ? 24 ,, 



S 22-2 „ ? 22-8 „ 



The '' Alcaravan/' as the Norfolk Plover is called in the 

 Canary Islands^ is a resident species found in some numbers 

 in suitable places in the island. In certain barrancos near 

 the Las Palmas golf-links I have flushed no less than eight 

 birds in as many hundred yards, but this is unusual, as 

 they are known to prefer escape by running, or lying 

 perfectly still with the head and neck stretched before them 

 flat on the ground. At dusk they are very noisy, and 

 at this time are continually heard calling. Part of the 

 ground between the Port and town of Las Palmas is known 

 as '' Alcaravaneras " from the number of these birds which 

 frequent it, although in later years they have become 

 more scarce, or, at any rate, less often heard on these 

 fields. In the central part of the island they do not appear 

 to be nearly so plentiful, as I have seldom heard the call 

 when camping on the higher ground. "Alcaravans" were 

 numerous on the sandy plateau between Elder and Fyft'e's 

 fruit-store on the coast and the " Charco " at Maspalomas, 

 where a number of them were flushed from a belt of 

 Euphorbia . 



They breed in April, and I have an egg taken near Las 

 Palmas which ajjpears to be smaller than usual. 



HouBARA UNDULATA. Houbara Bustard. 



Otis undulata Meade-Waldo, Ibis, 1893, p. 202. 



Mr. Meade-Waldo says that '' the Houbara is very occa- 

 sional in Gran Canaria.'^ It is a resident species in Fuerte- 

 ventura, and stragglers at times may find their way over to 

 the sandy plains of Maspalomas. The country there is well 

 suited to their needs, but doubtless such a large bird woukl 



