G16 jNIi'. D. A. Bauuerman on the 



destruction is allowed to pass uncondemned. However, 

 in tins case, as well as iu that of the unique Bullfinch 

 {Pijrrliula miirina) of the Azores, the warninj^ has, I fear, 

 come too laie, and, as the same collector is responsible 

 for the butchery of both species, I sincerely hope that 

 some means may be found to put a stop to sucii indiscriminate 

 ravages in the future. 



The Pinar Pajonal (Plate X, fig. 2), to which these 

 Chaffinches are exclusively confined, covers a considerable 

 area, as can be seen from the map (Plate IX.). Their 

 distribution even iu this limited space appears decidedly 

 local, and they are certainly more plentiful in the Pinar 

 above Juncal than near the Cneva de las Ninas. That 

 the}' move about in the forest seems evident : on one day 

 ten or more birds may be seen in a certain part of the 

 pine-wood, whereas for a week none will be seen at all, 

 when they will suddenly reappear in the same spot. 

 Occasionally single birds — generally males — are to be met 

 with in some remote part of the forest, and no amount 

 of searching would produce another, Herr von Thanner 

 mentioiis that he found these Chaffinches most plentiful 

 Avherever there was sufficient moisture and where the 

 nndergrowth was densest ; he noticed that they were par- 

 ticularly fond of the seeds of Stellaria media. Unlike its 

 neighbour in Tenerife, the bird found in Gran Canaria 

 is remarkably quiet : one would sit for a considerable time 

 on a bough without uttering a sound, presently it Avould 

 fly as silently to the ground and commence searching 

 diligently amongst the fallen pine-needles. The call -note, 

 when uttered, was very low, much weaker than that of the 

 Tenerife bird. Herr von Thanner actually mistook its cry 

 for that of the Chiffchaff ! Very little ajjpeais to be known 

 as to the nesting-habits ; it probably begins to build in 

 May, and lays its eggs late in that month. Yon Thanner 

 thought that it probably commenced laving earlier than 

 the species in Tenerife, owing to the lower altitude at 

 Avhich it is for.nd, but I doubt if this be the case. The 

 Blue Chaffinch was known to the few forest ".uardias and 



