Birds of Gambia. ]{)',] 



name is well-meritod, for tlieir plumage is indeed beautiful—black 

 and while, variegated with a lovely golden bronze mottling. The 

 female, contiary to the usual ruU 

 of the two. They are very fal 

 most tasty additions to ihe menu. 



Himantopus himantopus. 



Bange. Central Europe. 

 Asia. India to Western China. 



Tliese long-shanked black 

 legs are common with us all the year round and may be found whei-- 

 ever shallow fresh -water pools are left, as the swamps dry up. They 

 are quite good eating. 



Hacmafopm capensis. BLACK OYSTER-CATCHER. 



Range. p]urope; Central As'ia. Mediterranean and Red Seas; 

 East Africa to Mozambique; Persian Gulf; Sind in winter. {H.L). 



H. moquini. MOUQUIN'S OYSTER-CATCHER. 



Range. Africa. Canaries. Ma,deiia. (H.L.) 



I have occasionally seen a black and white Oyster-catcher 

 along the river, which must be H. ostralegus, though its range as 

 givein in. the Hand List would appear not to include the Gambia. 

 The wholly black bird (capensis) I have never yet seen here. 

 CURSORIID^. 



Pluvianus a&gijplius. BLACK-BACKED COURSER. 



Ran:g'0. West Africa, Senegambia to River Coanza; North- 

 east Africa to IMetliterranean.. (H.L.) 



Certainly not common with us; I do not think that I have 

 ever come across it in the Gambia. For a most complete and in- 

 teresting account of this species I would refer those interested to an 

 article (with photo) by Captain Stanley S. Flower, in the Avicul- 

 tural Magazine for 1908, page 139. 



Cursorius temmin,cki. SENEGAL COURSER. 



Range. Tropical Africa. (H.L). 



These Coursers, buff -coloured birds, wiih black and white 

 markings on the hind-neck and pale pink legs, occur here locally, 

 usually three to six together, in open country during the dry season, 

 and must breed witli us towards the end of that period, as I have 

 a note that at Brufut in June, 1901), there were '"numbers of these 

 Coursei's round the camp; several shot, some in juvenile mottled 

 plumage, others adult." 



Rhinoptilus chalccptenis. VIOLET-WINGED COURSER. 



Ramc^e. Senegambia to North-east Afiica. (H.L.). 



Bather larger than the preceding; a plain brown bird with 

 metallic purple hues on the black primaries, a white post-ocular 

 &tre<ik and tJwoat, a distinct white wing-bar (var. albofasoiatifi»), 

 and a white belly surmounted by a black chest-band. I have only 

 handled two specimens. They are certainly lare here. 

 OEDICNEMID^. 



Oedicnemus senegulensis , SENEGAL THICKKNEE. 



