Expedition to the Eastern Canary Islands. 43 



riding purposes, andj in consequence^ progress when on the 

 march is deplorably slow. Forced as we were to carry all 

 food with ns for such a long period, with tents, collecting- 

 boxes, and personal baggage, our little cavalcade of seven 

 camels created quite a stir as we streamed out of Puerto 

 Cabras, taking the road to Oliva. For tlie first few miles 

 the track lay parallel with the sea-shore — a low coast-line 

 with stony beach upon which were seen Kentish Plovers 

 and Turnstones. From the coast a flat barren plain stretches 

 to a range of low hills running north and south, but with 

 some quite high peaks amongst them. Indeed, I was sur- 

 prised to find how mountainous the country ajDpeared to be. 

 Birds were remarkably scarce, short-toed Larks and a 

 very few Pipits, a single pair of Kestrels and two Sand- 

 grouse (the latter flying very high and at a great speed) 

 were the only species noted. We soon left the coast 

 behind, aiid as we turned inland began gradually to ascend. 

 A single flock of Coursers and a Shrike were seen. Just 

 before reaching Caldereta we met with Meade-Waldo's 

 Chat (^Saxicola d. dacot'icE) for the first time. We camped 

 for the night at Caldereta (350 ft.), a small collection of 

 farm buildings about an hour and a halPs ride from Oliva. 

 I found birds much more plentiful here — Hoopoes in 

 numbers flying about the buildings and cactus plantations. 

 Trumpeter Bullfinches came to the well of dirty water to 

 drink, clinging on to the rough perpendicular walls with 

 remarkable cleverness while they quenched their thirst. 

 All were in very fine breeding-plumage. Young birds of 

 the year in sandy-brown plumage were not uncommonly 

 seen, while some old birds were still sitting on eggs. 

 Short-toed Larks were very numerous, and the palm trees 

 all appeared to be full of the nests of Passer A. hispaniolensis . 

 In one case a pair of Kestrels were feeding young in the 

 same palm where several Sparrows were nesting — a somewhat 

 remarkable occurrence ; but as the Kestrels in these islands 

 seem to exist almost entirely on beetles and lizards, the 

 fact is not so surprising as would appear. Two clutches of 



