254 ON THE NATURAL HISTORY OP THE CLAREMONT ISLANDS, 



me very intently, and passed remarks to each other on my 

 appearance and occupation in dismal croaks. I append a list of 

 the birds met with. 



White Nutmeg Pigeon (Myristicivora spilorrhoa, G. E.. Gray.) 

 Only one seen and shot. It was a young bird apparently not more 

 than a couple of weeks from the nest, and much smaller than 

 examples obtained at the North Barnard Islands in December 1882. 

 Its plumage too, as far as I can remember, is slightly different, 

 though this may perhaps be due to its youth. 



Northern Swamp Quail (Syno'icus cervinus, Gould.) These 

 little birds were tolerably plentiful lying in the high grass, but 

 were difficult to flush, and generally allowed themselves to be 

 almost trodden upon before they rose. Eight couple were bagged, 

 and double that number might have been obtained had I had the 

 services of a good steady retriever. Unless I marked the exact 

 spot where the bird fell, and ran to it at once, it was almost 

 certain to be lost, as they were so difficult to find in the thick 

 grass. They usually rose five or six at a time, but it was quite out 

 of the question firing a double shot as one of the birds would 

 certainly have been lost. They varied a good deal in size, but I 

 think I am right in referring them to the above species. They 

 were excellent eating. 



Oyster Catcher {Ecematopus longirostris, Vieill.) There were 

 several small flocks of these handsome birds. They looked very 

 conspicuous when flying among a host of other shoi-e birds. One 

 I shot was a remarkably fine heavy specimen. 



Grey Plover [Squatarola helvetica, Linn.) Common. 



Golden Plover (^Chanidrias orientalis, Temm. et Schleg.) 

 Numerous. This is decidedly much smaller than the European 

 species, and by no means such a delicately flavored bird. All those 

 that I have eaten have been obtained upon the sea shore, or upon 

 coral reefs, where the nature of their food probably imparts a fishy 

 flavour to their flesh. 



