23 
traversing thawliole of Europe, and a great part of Asia, we find, 
in the north-east of the latter continent, a species first described 
by Pallas as Pica cyana, scarcely to be distinguished from the 
Spanish form, except by tlie white tip at the end of the tail, 
about half to three-quarters of an inch in breadth, and which 
occasionally is found, to a less extent, in the Spanish species. 
'I'liis slight dilferenco, in the case of such complete isolation, is 
very remarkable, and as the isolation probably took place at a 
somewhat remote period, it may give us an idea of the lapse of 
time recpiired to pro<hice any ap]>reciable alteration in some forms, 
whilst others are well known to be far more pliable, and more 
subject to variation. 'I'wo other forms of this family, the black- 
hcaded jay, {Garruhis cervicuUs,) and the Moorish magpie, {Pica 
viauri tunica,) do not as yet appear to have extended their range to 
the Peninsula. 
The Culumhi(he call for no particular remark. 
The e.xcursions of Pallas’ sand grouse (Syrrhaiiles paradoxus) 
do not appear to have reached the Peninsula, their nearest ajiproach 
being at Perpignan, just over the French frontier, on the north-east 
of {Spain. The other two European species, Pterocics arenariiis, 
and 7’. alchita, are abundant, the former being the more numerous 
in the north, and the latter in the southern districts. The caper- 
cailzie is found in the Pyrenees, and it is said to inhabit the 
Asturian forests, but I have not worked those provinces, iuid 
specimens, and information regarding any of the TefraonidiB 
from any part of Spain would be of great service. The partridge 
of Spain is the red-legged species, {P. rubra,) except in the north, 
where our grey bird is also found ; and on the Pock of Gibraltar 
the Barbary partridge, which has, doubtless, been introduced from 
Morocco. 
P^ext in order I will take the cranes, a family usually placed 
next to the herons, with which, however, they have far less afiinity 
than they have with the bustards, both in their food, and in their 
nidification. Our knowledge of the breeding haunts of the common 
craire being principally tlerived from the late John Wolley’s account 
of its nesting in Lapland, it was with some surprise that I found 
it breeding in the marshes of the Giiadalquiver in the extreme 
south, where, however, I did not discover the nest of its congener, 
the ^hlmidian cmne, (Grus viryo,) although the latter is abundant 
