11 



3 



Monteverde, which is its true home, one may seek long before seeing it. In the splendid laurel- 

 wood of Agua Garcia it is tolerably numerous. In 1856 I saw the first in the Machado garden 

 at Villa Orotava, and hoped to hear the song in the higher chestnut-groves, but was disappointed. 

 In the autumn I observed it here and there in the tree-like erica-growth between Punta de 

 Anaga and Las Casillas, and in the dense laurel-grove of Las Vueltas de Taganana. It also 

 inhabits the north of the Canaries, and is said to occur in the remains of the Dorama wood, and 

 in the winter to be seen in the orchards. I observed several on the 4th of July in the Vega of 

 Canaria, in a locality where the wild laurel, which tree it greatly affects, is found amongst other 

 growth. A male was singing in a low tone ; the song was poor, and sounded like hita, hita, hita, 

 herrrrrrrr, the finish being indistinct, and the note unlike that of our European Chaffinch. This 

 was the only tune I ever heard the Tintillon sing ; and I think it must have been a young male 

 practising, as an old male could never be so unmusical. On the wooded island of Gomera this 

 bird is common, and is called Pajaro del monte. I saw several on the edge of the large forest 

 above Hermiqua, and suppose that they inhabit the densely wooded interior of the island ; but in 

 the dense forest they cannot well be seen. As on Gomera they are not pursued by man, they are 

 very tame, and I have often observed them hopping about the boughs only a few feet from me, 



watching me with evident curiosity In the winter the Tintillons on Gomera are driven by 



the cold from the heights into the valleys, and seek their food near habitations. I am most sorry 

 that I never obtained this species alive, so as to study its habits, which are as yet quite unknown.'' 

 Beyond the above notes nothing appears to have been published respecting the habits of this 

 Chaffinch ; and specimens are still very rare in collections. 



I have in my collection two eggs, obtained at St. Michael's, Azores, in 1866, for which I am 

 indebted to my friend Mr. Godman. Compared with the eggs of the Common Chaffinch, these 

 eggs are rather larger, and have the ground-colour paler, and the shell-markings more blurred. 



The specimens figured and described are in my own collection, and were obtained by 

 Mr. Godman at St. Michael's, Azores. 



In the preparation of the above article I have examined the following specimens : — 



c 



E Mus. H. E. Dresser, 

 a, 6 . Madeira, February 1856. b, 3 , c, $. St. Michael's, Azores, March 1865 (F. DuCane Godman). 



E Mus. Salvin and Godman. 



a,b,e. Madeira, June 1871. c, d, e, 6 . Orotava, Teneriffe, April 1871. f, 3 . Teneriffe, May 1871. 

 g, $. Orotava, Teneriffe, April, h, i,j, d. St. Michael's, Azores, March and April 1865. k, $. St. 

 Michael's, April 1865. I, c?. Flores, May 1865. m, ? . Madeira, June 20th, 1871 (F. D. Godman). 



E Mns. H. B. Tristram, 

 a, 6 , b, ? . St. Michael's, Azores, April 1866 (F. DuCane Godman). 



