observed in Madagascar. 169 



common on the coast ; but a good many were found on the 

 grassy knolls about Ranomafana and Ampasimbe, where four 

 and a half brace were obtained. 



" I met with them in small numbers about Foule Point. Iris 

 black; legs flesh-colour; bill bluish." — S. R. 



51. Glareola geoffroyi, Pucheran; Hartl. p. 71. 



At our first halting-place on the road from Tamatave to the 

 capital, on the 1st of October, we saw and shot several Pratin- 

 coles. The river Hivoondroo runs out into the sea about a mile 

 and a half below a village bearing the same name, and has on 

 its left bank a treeless sandy plain. Here we found these 

 birds, together with Sanderlings and two species of Plover. 

 Unfortunately, those which we skinned were destroyed, and we 

 have no specimens by which to identify them ; but we have little 

 doubt that the Pratincoles were of the same species as an exam- 

 ple afterwards obtained by Dr. Roch. 



** At Nossi-be, a small village to the north of Tamatave, I 

 found many Pratincoles in the native burial-ground, which ap- 

 peared to be their breeding-place, though I was unable to dis- 

 cover either eggs or youug. Their manners strongly reminded 

 me of those of the Lapwing — screaming high in the air, and 

 then darting along the ground, as if to draw my attention away 

 from their broods. I thus easily obtained several specimens. 

 Their flesh at this time (so near the breeding-season) was, of 

 course, dry." — S. R. 



52. ? Charadrius tenellus, Hartl. p. 72*. 



A small species of Plover was several times seen by us along 

 the coast, and one even on the plain of Ankay, between Moora- 

 manga and Ambohitroni. 



" I shot several of these birds at Nossi-b^." — S. R. 



53. ? Calidris arenaria (Linn.). 



On a sand- spit at Hivoondroo we killed two or three birds, 

 which we feel sure were Sanderlings. Unfortunately, their skins 

 were destroyed. They were in winter plumage. 



* [The specimens sent by Dr. Roch are not in good condition, and, beino- 

 also apparently immature, some doubts may be entertained as to the 

 species. — Ed.] 



VOL. V. N 



