Expedition to the Eastern Canary Islands. 49 



(Lanlus I. koenigi) was often seen, in the dry bed of the 

 barranco, and both Berthelot's Pipits and Short-toed Larks 

 were found sparingly. Hoopoes were very numerous and 

 the noisy Spanish Sparrows simply swarmed, and were again 

 found nesting in the same palm as a pair of fine Kestrels, 

 belonging to a new subspecies recently named by Dr. Ernst 

 Hartert, 



In another barranco not far from this camp, I was shown 

 the nest of a Kestrel built in a hole on the steep face of the 

 cliff. By carefully climbing along a ledge, about 40 feet 

 from the top, T was enabled to reach this nest_, from which 

 a single young bird had been taken and brought in to 

 me by a small Spanish boy earlier in the day. This young 

 Kestrel, which was still in down, contained one whole 

 lizard and half a lizard, one mouse (entire)^ and a quantity 

 of beetles. The nest smelt very strong and many remains 

 lay about in all directions. Further along the cliff a huge 

 nest had been built under an overhanging ledge of rock in a 

 sheltered position, in which a pair of Ravens had recently 

 reared their young. This nest was built of large dried 

 sticks and lined with smaller ones^ amongst which pieces 

 of rag and what appeared to be lumps of clotted camel's 

 hair had been woven. 



Between this barranco and the valley in which our camp 

 was situated lay an extensive stone plateau, on which Sand^ 

 Grouse {Pterocles arenarius) were said to be often found. 



In the evenings, Swifts [Micropus m. brehmorum) and an 

 occasional Swallow used to hawk over the corn and maize, 

 screaming loudly in concert as they darted amongst the 

 trunks of the trees which bordered the field. Another 

 Swift {Micropus u. unicolor^ was sometimes seen nearer the 

 coast, but always flying very high out of gunshot. I have 

 seldom seen these two species in company. 



While staying at this camp several Bats were shot which 

 proved to be all of one species, Pipistrellus kuhlii. They only 

 came out just before darkness fell and were thus very hard 

 to obtain. Bats are distinctly rare in the eastern Canary 

 Islands. Curiously enough the same species was obtained 



SER. X. VOL. II. E 



