22 
Aleimon desertorum and Alauda dupontii : neither did I meet 
with A. lusifanica, which has long been ascribed to Portugal, 
whence, however, I have never seen an authentic specimen. The 
common and resident species are the crested, calandra, and short- 
toed larks ; the sky and woodlarks only occurring in winter in 
southern Spain. The buntings seem to be merely the usual western 
and central forms, no examples of any of the eastern species being 
as yet recorded, but the finches requhe a little notice. 
First, as regards the sparrows : the common species in the towns 
and villages is identical with our familiar bird, but there is another 
species, known as the Spanish sparrow, f Passer Mspaniolensis) 
which, though very abundant, is less frequently observed, o'wing 
to its being a country cousin. This is the sparrow which is so 
partial to the foundations of the nests of birds of prey, especially 
large ones, for it generally eschews the neighbourhood of the 
smaller hawks. The cisalpine sparrow, which replaces our own 
P. domestica in Italy, certainly has occurred in Spain, but I have 
hitherto only seen a single specimen. The tree sparrow is local, 
and more abundant in the eastern provinces. The chaffinch is 
identical with our own sprightly bird, the Algerian form, F. spo- 
dmjena, not having as yet been captured on this side of the 
Mediterranean. Our bullfinch is conspicuous by its absence, at 
least in the southern districts, although the hawfincli is abundant, 
and the crossbill is a common resident in the Balearic islands. 
The southern breeding range of the last species is probably the 
Atlas range, where Salvin found a family party on the 26th of 
March. 
But it is amongst the Corvidte that we find a bird whose 
geographical limit is, perhaps, the most remarkable of any European 
species. I refer to Cyanopica coohii^ commonly known as the 
azure-winged magpie, although, in external appearance, cry, and 
nidification, it is much more of a jay, occupying a place between 
our G. glavdarius and Perisorem mfamtus, the Siberian jay. 
This species, although somewhat local, is extremely abundant as 
far north as the Guadarrama, and even a trifle beyond the water- 
shed, but it does not appear to cross the valley of the Ebro, or 
even to stray into tlie nortliern provinces of Spain, or the south of 
France : on the other hand, it has never been obtained in North 
Africa, although abundant M'ithin siglit of tliat coast. But after 
