MEDITERRANEAN NOTES 203 



" In the institute at IVIalaga the most remarkable 

 things are an immature specimen of Larus audouini, 

 without date (but Mena says undoubtedly killed near 

 the town, probably seven or eight years ago), and a 

 specimen of Cursorius gallicus * killed near the town. 

 Mena tells me that he knows of two other occurrences 

 of this species, and a fine specimen of the little bunting 

 (^Emberiza fusil! a). 



" Mena had a skin of plover, which I bought, having 

 little doubt that it is a specimen of Charadrius fulvus, 

 the Asiatic golden plover, killed near Malaga, May 2ist, 

 1878. Several fine flamingos just brought in, and a 

 great many eggs of Gyps fulvus ; I also bought Richards's 

 pipit [Anthus richardi) and the pallid swift {Cypselus 

 pallidus)." 



Alboran 



" April 26th. Beautiful bright day. Got up steam 

 and started about 8 a.m. to explore the island of Alboran, 

 some ninety miles south-east by east. I had often heard 

 of the abundance of sea birds there, but a lighthouse 

 has lately been built, and I had fears. We saw the 

 back fins of several sharks and one or two shear- 

 waters. We sighted the island and lighthouse about 



* The Cream-coloured Courser {Cursorius gallicus). These are 

 desert birds, allied to the pratincoles, and through them to the 

 true plovers. They are exceedingly active birds, both on the 

 wing and on foot, and feed on insects, being especially fond of 

 grasshoppers. 



