534 Mr. D. A. Bannerman on the [Ibis, 



Such, then, are the eastern Canary Islands. Owing to 

 their having the same geological formation and uniform 

 climate, added to the similarity in their altitude and conse- 

 quent absence of variety as regards vegetation zones, these 

 barren outliers of the Sahara are best considered as one 

 distinct faunal area. 



The Western Group. 



The first island of the western group encountered when 

 sailing westwards from Fuerteventura is Gran Canaria — the 

 subject of a paper which I wrote in ' The Ibis ' in 1912. I 

 then divided up the island into six faunal divisions : —(i.) The 

 Monte and Vega ; (ii.) the Cumbres ; (iii.) the Pinar ; 

 (iv.) Desert-like plains ; (v.) the " Charco "" ; (vi.) the 

 western division (wild mountainous country). These are 

 perfectly natural divisions and still, of course, hold good ; 

 their general features will be found fully discussed in the 

 paper mentioned, where a map, showing the divisions here 

 noted, is given. 



During subsequent visits to the island in 1913 and 1920 

 I worked out the faunal divisions strictly according to the 

 zones of vegetation, which are necessarily rough. The con- 

 clusions wliich I formed are as follows : — 



Zone i. Maritime or African zone, sea-level to 1000 feet. 



Zone ii. District of cultivation, 1000-3000 feet (in- 

 cluding remnants of Chestnut and Laurel 

 forest between 1400 and 2700 feet). 



Zone iii. " Pinar '^ (Pine forest), 3000-4000 feet (on the 

 south of the island only). The country between 

 these altitudes in the north of the island may 

 be included in 



Zone iv. " Cumbres '' mountainous unforested zone, 

 4000-6400 feet. 



In comparison with the eastern islands water is plentiful ; 

 the result is abundantly evident, particularly in Zone ii. 

 {vide Ibis, 1912, pp. 557-567). 



