1920.] Birds of the Cannry Islands. 567 



Gran (Janaria from its true home in Fnerteventura. The 

 Courser aucl tlie Saud-Grouse are both birds of powerful 

 flight, aud it is uot surprising that they shouhl move about. 

 I am iuclined to think that wheu Sand-Cirouse appear iu Gran 

 Cauaria (it is now many years since they have been recorded) 

 they make tlie jouruey in search of water. For at times so 

 severe a drought is experienced in Fuerteventura that men 

 and animals have to be transported to Gran Canaria to 

 prevent the latter dying of thirst. This may have accounted 

 for the Courser's starting colonies iu Gran Canaria aud 

 Tenerife, which islands are never so badly off for fresh water 

 as those of the eastern group. 



The Corn Bunting is said by Polatzek (Oru. Jahrb. 1908, 

 p. 196) to be a Summer Visitor to Fuerteventura and 

 Lanzarote, arriving in February, breeding in March and 

 April, aiul leaving after the harvest to return again iu the 

 s[)ring. AVhetlier this bird conies from the other islands or 

 from the continent is difficult to prove, and it is undoubtedly 

 very locally distributed in the eastern islands in the summer 

 time, as I have proved for myself. Certainly the only bird 

 I procured there in the summer belonged to the dark- 

 breasted race which, if recognised as distinct, is apparently 

 confined to the Canary Archipelago. 



The case of the Chat [Saxicola dacoti(B murielce) must be 

 cited as a last instance, though the possibility of this race 

 occurring also on the mainland of Africa must not be lost 

 sight of. A small tiock of these birds was discovered on the 

 tiny islet of Montana Clara two days after I landed there in 

 June 1913. Four or live birds were seen and two secured, 

 the others dispersed, and although I spent eight days on this 

 island, and there was very little cover, I never saw a single 

 Chat again. On the small island of AUegranza, not far 

 distant, tliese birds were fairly common. Doubtless my three 

 individuals migrated to this island when so rudely disturbed. 

 They are restricted to these two outlying islets, having been 

 found nowhere else in the Archipelago. 



We know, of course, that birds occasionally pass from 

 Lanzarote across the nai'row strait which divides it 



SER. XI. VOL. II. 2 Q 



