290 Mr. D. A. Bannerraan on an Ornithological 



Mr. Rotliscliild rightly notes that the Fuerteventuran 

 bird is much darker above and so harmonizes with the dark 

 sunburnt rocks of Fuerteventura, in contrast to the truly 

 sandy-rufous colouring of 0. u. undulata which agrees so 

 perfectly with the deserts which it inhabits. 



This magnificent bird is, I fear^ not nearly so plentiful at 

 the present day as when Mr. Meade-Waldo collected in the 

 island. It is evidently considered a great prize by the 

 Spanish sportsmen, and foreign collectors have treated 

 the bird in a most merciless manner. Even in the breeding 

 season it cannot gain any peace, and the Spaniards have an 

 abominable habit of trapping the bird actually on the nest. 

 Unless this interesting Bustard is in some manner protected, 

 at any rate during the breeding season, I am afraid it is 

 in grave danger of extermination. From accounts which 

 I received, I understand that it is more plentiful in the 

 south of the island than in the centre, where I first met 

 with it. It is seen, I believe, only at certain times of the 

 year on the plains in the north of Fuerteventura. I found 

 the bird in two localities, Antigua and Puerto Cabras. 

 In the former district I came across an adult pair and a 

 single male bird. While in the neighbourhood of Puerto 

 Cabras a farmer brought me a very young bird in an inter- 

 esting plumage, but it had unfortunately been dead two 

 or three days. Bishop managed to save the skin, which is 

 now in the Natural History Museum. 



In Lanzarote the Bustard is rarely seen and then only in 

 the south. 1 did not meet with it in this island. Polatzek 

 gives several instances of his having seen it there. 



For further accounts of C. u. fuerteventurm, see papers by 

 Bolle, J. f. O. 1857, p. 334; Meade-W^aldo, Ibis, 1889, 

 pp. 11-12 & 506 ; Polatzek, Orn. Jahrb. 1909, p. 19 ; and 

 von Thanner, Orn. Jahrb. 1905, p. 62 ; 1910, p. 227; 1912, 

 p. 221. ' 



A single immature bird procured. 



Bill dark horn-colour; iris yellow ; feet greenish grey. 



The egg of the Fuerteventuran Bustard is perfectly 

 distinct in colour from that usually laid by C undulata 



