278 Mr. D. A. Bannerraan on an Ornithological 



its parents. This specimen has the feathers of the crown, 

 entire npper parts, wing-coverts, scapulars, and rump barred 

 with black. The black line running from behind the eye 

 towards the nape, which is so marked a feature in the adult, 

 is very short and narrow in the young. From above the 

 eyes a broad isabelline band joins its fellow on the nape, 

 which in the adult is pure white. Moreover, there is no 

 trace of the bluish-grey hind-crown, and the underparts 

 are a shade darker in colour than in the adult bird. 



The next stage which is reached is seen in a bird (of an 

 earlier brood), shot on May the 16th, which has begun to lose 

 the bars on the feathers of the upper parts, and in conse- 

 quence has a very patchy appearance. The principal change 

 has taken place on the head, which is several shades lighter 

 than in the younger bird. The black stripe from behind 

 the eye is now more pronounced, and the broad isabelline 

 band from above the eyes to the back of the nape has 

 chano-ed to white. The feathers of the hind-crown are 

 becoming bluish-grey and the concealed black nape-patch 

 is just appearing. The fore part of the crown still retains 

 the speckled appearance of the young, but immediately in 

 front of the grey hind-crown the sandy rufous feathers of 

 the old bird have been assumed. The underparts are similar 

 to the adult. 



During my journey in Fuerteventura Coursers were not 

 seen in the numbers which I had expected^ but it must be 

 remembered that I did not visit the large plain surrounding 

 Tuineje in the south of the island, where they are said to be 

 more numerous than elsewhere. They were met with on the 

 plains above Puerto Cabras, between Oliva and Toston, and 

 again in the neighbourhood of Antigua, but never in very 

 large numbers. 



In Lanzarote they were seen on only two occasions, in the 

 desolate country near Januvio. 



None were found on the smaller islets, but von Thanner 

 saw a pair on Graciosa which had doubtless flown over from 

 Lanzarote. 



