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most desolate localities that can be found. Dr. Carl Bolle, in an excellent monograph of this 

 species (Naumannia, 1858, pp. 369-393) remarks that in the Canaries it likewise affects the 

 treeless, stony, and hot localities, where the stillness is only broken by its low trumpet-note, 

 which Dr. Bolle describes as " vox clamantis in deserto." It does not frequent the sand-country, 

 nor yet the bolder mountain-rocks, but prefers the more level but rugged lava-covered districts, 

 where it can at any moment find a hiding-place amongst the fissures, or amongst the loose masses 

 of lava ; and here it lives a peaceable life, being subject to no persecution, either from man or 

 beast. In Africa it likewise frequents the borders of the desert, but seldom visiting the culti- 

 vated districts. Though not a true migrant, still, like all the Finches, when collected together 

 during the autumn and winter, it wanders about, frequently straggling some distance from its 

 breeding-haunts ; and at this season of the year it is when it has been met with in other localities 

 than those where it remains to breed. 



In the Canaries, as also in North Africa, its breeding-season commences in March ; and its 

 nest is so carefully concealed that it has seldom been met with. He describes the nest as being 

 rather roughly and loosely built of coarse bents of desert-grass, and lined with feathers, generally 

 those of the Sand-Grouse or the Houbara, or with a little camel's or goat's hair, and says that 

 it is carefully concealed in a fissure in the rocks or on the ground under a large stone. Canon 

 Tristram says (Ibis, 1859, p. 294) that it " breeds in holes, laying an egg resembling that of the 

 Bullfinch, but the ground is of a much deeper blue. The nest is slight, composed entirely of 

 fine roots and fibrous grasses." Dr. Bolle, who succeeded in getting a pair to breed in an aviary, 

 describes the eggs as being " large for the size of the bird, in colour pale sea-green, and dotted 

 with reddish brown spots and blotches, which are very scattered at the smaller end, but collect 

 and form a wreath round the larger one." I possess one egg, obtained in Algeria by Major 

 Loche, which agrees closely with Dr. Bolle's description above given, and not with that of 

 Dr. Tristram, being very pale sea-green, spotted with light and dark reddish brown, the spots 

 being principally collected round the larger end, and in size measures ■§-§■ by |-jy inch. 



It feeds on seeds of various kinds of plants which grow in the dreary districts it frequents ; 

 and in spite of its love for desert places, it must have water at least so near within reach that it 

 can visit it once in the day : hence in the deserts of North Africa it is generally found near the 

 oases. 



The song of the male is by Dr. Bolle said to closely resemble the low note of a small penny 

 trumpet, sometimes loud and clear, and at others long drawn out and harsh. A note frequently 

 used is a rather harsh kci, Jed, Jed ; and they frequently call to each other using a cackling note 

 like JeeJeeJe, JeeJeeeJe; and the alarm-note, or note of astonishment at any thing unusual, is a loud 

 schaJe, scliaJe. Von Heuglin says that " its call-note is a wooden ter, ter ; and its song is very 

 poor, resembling the sound produced by blowing into a child's wooden trumpet." 



The specimens figured are an adult male, in full breeding-plumage, from Egypt, and a 

 female from Persia, both in my own collection, these being the specimens described. 



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



