81 [Vol. xiv. 



Dr. Sclateu stated that since the meeting in February, 

 when he had last attended the Club, he had passed a very 

 pleasant month in the Canaries, at Orotava in Tenerife, and 

 at Monte, above Las Palmas in Grand Canary. He had 

 been unfortunately unable to visit more remote and less 

 frequented localities in these islands, but, though making 

 short excursions nearly every day and always on the look- 

 out for birds, he had been much disappointed to find them 

 so scarce. In the numerous gardens visited, where vegetable 

 life of every kind was luxuriant, bird-life seemed to be 

 almost unrepresented. An occasional Warbler might be 

 detected, and pairs of the Grey Wagtail [Motacilla melanope) 

 were often seen frequenting the water-tanks, but even the 

 Sparrow was quite a rarity. In the open country the same 

 was the case as regards small birds, but the Common Kite 

 (Milvus ictinus) was often to be seen soaring about, and the 

 Buzzard (Buteo vulgaris) and the Kestrel (Tinnunculus 

 alaudarius) were not unfrequently observable. The natives 

 sometimes attributed the scarcity of the ordinary Passerines 

 to these Birds of Prey, but Dr. Sclater could not quite 

 believe that this was the only reason. Swifts [Cypselus apus) 

 and Swallows (Hirundo rustica) were also often to be seen in 

 Hocks, and an occasional Hoopoe was noticed. 



The only person interested in Ornithology that Dr. Sclater 

 came across in the Canaries was Mr. Ramon Gomez, the 

 well-known " English Chemist " of Port Orotava. He had 

 a small series of native birds' skins and a collection of 

 Canarian birds' eggs, and in an aviary behind his house were 

 living examples of several rare Canarian species — Frinyilla 

 teydta, Erythrospiza githaginea, Columba laurivora, and 

 C. bollei. 



Dr. Sclater had paid a visit to The " Museo Canariense" at 

 Las Palmas. This Museum, which is stated in Brown's 

 " Guide " to be the largest in the Canaries, is lodged in the 

 topmost storey of the Town Hall (Municipio), and is 

 principally devoted to Antiquities and Geology. The 

 collection of native birds consists of about 120 mounted 

 specimens arranged in four glass cases. They are mostly in 



