218 Mr. J. H. Gurney's List of a Collection of Birds 



and also the irides, are figured and described as red ; in other 

 respects the figure and description there given agree with the 

 specimen and note forwarded by Mr. Ayres. Mr. Ayres's speci- 

 men appears to agree with ' Cliaradrius frontalis' of Sundeval 

 (Ofvers. 1850, p. 110), which is there described "7?e£?iiMs nigro- 

 fuscis." 



I think it probable, however, that this variation of colour in the 

 legs and feet may be rather due to differences of age or sex, than 

 to specific distinction, and the more so as the tibise in the speci- 

 men sent by Mr. Ayres appear to have been red when fresh, and 

 as there is a specimen in the British Museum from the Cape 

 of Good Hope in which the tarsi are red also, as represented in 

 Dr. Riippeli's plate above referred to. — J. H. G.] 



112. J^^GiALiTES MARGiNATus, Vieill. Hcywood's Ring- 

 Dottrel. 



Male. Eye dark brown. Stomach contained small pebbles 

 and pieces of shell. 



This species frequents the sea-shore, and runs with great 

 swiftness. 



113. iEoiALiTES HiATicuLA, Linn. Common British Ring- 

 Dottrel. 



Eye dark brown ; legs yellow. Only sand in the stomach. 

 This bird also lives on the coast, and is equally swift-footed 

 with the preceding sjjecies. 



114. ToTANUs GLOTTIS, Liun. Green-shank. 



Male. Eye dark brown; legs and bill light slate-colour. 



These birds are very shy, and are mostly gregarious, but 

 sometimes solitary. They generally feed and intermix with the 

 Curlews, frequently walking into the water till it reaches their 

 bodies. The specimen sent seemed to have the remains of 

 shrimps in the stomach. 



115. NuMENius ARQUATA, Linn. Common European Curlew. 

 Female. Eye dark brown ; legs bluish. Stomach empty, ex- 

 cept a piece of shell. 



There are great numbers of these birds in the Bay of Natal ; 

 and I think there are two or three species, as they vary much in 

 size. They arc exceedingly shy, and difficult to shoot ; they are 



