46 Mr. D. A. Bannerman on an Ornithological 



Coursers, already mentioned, many Hoopoes, which seem 

 to be absolutely at home in these barren wastes, Short-toed 

 Larks and Berthelot's Pipits in small numbers, a Shrike or 

 two, and an occasional flock of Rock Doves, feeding on the 

 miserable patches o£ corn, completed the list. 



The reefs proved more interesting, and considerable 

 numbers of Waders were observed. The Oystercatcher, 

 however, was not to be found, and I learnt from the light- 

 house keeper, who knew the bird well by sight, that he had 

 never seen it on this part of the coast. Kentish Plovers were 

 literally in hundreds and breeding in the sandhills ; Turn- 

 stones were in flocks, many in beautiful full breeding- 

 plumage, although with the testes quite undeveloped ; a 

 pair of Grey Plover also in full breeding-plumage, a few 

 Common Sandpipers and Dunlins, together with Redshanks, 

 Ringed Plovers, and a singl^Heron, were noted. Whimbrels 

 were numerous, and I distinctly heard a Curlew. 



This list comprises the Waders usually met with in the 

 eastern Canary Islands at this season. Many others doubt- 

 less touch here on migration, but with the exception of 

 Sanderlings, which sometimes are quite common, they are 

 mostly stragglers to this group. 



We struck camp early in the morning of the 10th as we 

 intended, if all went well, to sail from Toston to La Pefia, 

 21^ statute miles down the coast, where we were assured 

 that a landing could be effected. A sail of 4^ hours brought 

 us to Punta de la Pena, where we ourselves landed with 

 great difficulty by jumping on to the side of the cliff'. A 

 stiff' climb brought us to the summit, while our two boats 

 rounded the headland in order to land our baggage in the 

 sandy cove. A huge swell was breaking here and one of 

 the boats capsized, throwing everything into the water ; the 

 other was with difficulty run ashore, and the woi"k of trans- 

 porting our various semi-soaked belongings up the Tamarisk 

 valley begun. Our camp was pitched about a mile from the 

 sea under some magnificent date-palms on the estate of 

 Don Pedro Menrique. Fresh water was here in abundance, 

 and as a result a splendid crop of wheat and maize had been 



