602 Mr. D. A. Baimermau on the 



Mr. Meade- Waldo, who spent several winters in the Canary 

 Islands, tells me that this Warbler is extremely common in 

 Tenerife as well as in several of the other islands in the 

 group which he has visited. It is strange that the bird was 

 so scarce in Gran Canaria. 



Sylvia conspicillata bella. Spectacled Warbler. 



Sylvia conspicillata bella Tschnsi, Orn. Monatsb. 1901, 

 p. 130 * ; Thanner, Orn. Jahrb. xxi. p. 91 (1910) ; Hartert, 

 Vog. Pal. Faun. i. p. 599 (1910). 



a. ? Las Palmas. 30th Dec. '08. 



b. Las Palmas. 7th Jan. '09. 



c. Las Palmas. 2nd April '09. 



d. Confital Bay (sea-level). 4th Feb. '12. 

 e,f. Barranco de San Lorenzo. 16th Feb. '12. 



Iris light brown ; bill horn-coloured ; feet yellowish flesh- 

 coloured. 



" Upper side very similar to S. conspicillata, but darker 

 grey head, browner back, and more chestnut primary- coverts." 



Examples from Gran Canaria are obviously darker than 

 Sylvia conspicillata, of which I have examined a small series 

 from the type locality, Sardinia. 



On comparing an adult bird from Madeira (the type 

 locality of Sylvia c. hella) killed in February with one of 

 my birds from Gran Canaria obtained in the same month, I 

 find that the Madeiran bird is slightly darker even than 

 Gran Canaria specimens. It would be interesting to com- 

 pare a large series from these two islands. 



Spectacled Warblers are found in the island throughout 

 the year. They seem to prefer the low-lying barren ground 

 and hottest valleys to the more cultivated districts. They 

 may always be seen on the waste land behind the Catalina, 

 frequenting the Euphorbias and other small bushes which 

 cover the sides of the barrancos. They are shy little birds, 

 and when once alarmed fly some distance to a thick shrub 

 from which they are particularly hard to dislodge ; their cry 

 is unmistakably that of a Warbler, and when frightened they 

 begin a peculiar chattering and scolding. I did not see any 

 in the neighbourhood of the Pinav. 



