1920.] Birds of the Canary Islands. 533 



dwelling. Should the track lead near the sea the traveller 

 will have to cross several deep barrancas — dry nullahs, often 

 as not lined with dark green tamarisks, upon which the eye 

 rests with pleasure after the glare of the scorching plains. 

 Otherwise not a sign ol" water, not a vestige of forest land 

 nor even a wood in the humblest sense of the word, breaks 

 the monotony of the scene. It seems perfectly natural to 

 have exchanged the mules of the western islands for 

 camels — the only beasts of burden in the eastern group. 



Lanzarote is more mountainous than Fuerteventura, but 

 the highest ground attains to only 2198 feet. Nevertheless, 

 its surface contains much more evidence of former volcanic 

 activity — in the shape of many extinct volcanoes, from the 

 rent craters of which great lava-flows wind their way to the 

 sea. A ride I'rom north to south of Lanzarote is much more 

 instructive of the terrible visitations througli which the 

 island has passed tiian would be a similar journey through 

 Fuerteventura. 



The outlying islets embrace the same general chai'actei-s — 

 Hat [)lains upon which miniature volcanoes stand u\) in vivid 

 contrast, as typified by (Jraciusa; or else the half-buried lip 

 of a giant crater-wall, ^o strikingly shown in the Uoque del 

 Este, reaiing its crest above the waves. 



The vegetation on these eastern islands is in keeping with 

 their geological chai'acter — of engrossing interest to the 

 student of desert flora, — the shrubs and plants are many of 

 them peculiar to the islands upon which they grow. Apait 

 from date-[)alms, (igs, and pomeyianates already noted, trees 

 are conspicuous by their absence. Oranges, l)ananas, and 

 almond trees are decidedly rare. 



As previously iiuhcated, many of the barruncus an; lined 

 with tamarisks, and in all the islands Euphorbias of several 

 varieties are pei'haps the commonest form of vegetation. 

 Wheat and beans, vines and tomatoes are cultivated in 

 certain districts, while quantities of onions are exported 

 annually from Lanzarote. Through lack of water thousands 

 of acres lie uncultivated in any way and may he classed as 

 desert waste. 



