BIRDS OF EGYPT. 243 



Very similar to jE. hiaticula, but smaller. It has no 

 yellow on the beak, no white patch on any of the primaries, 

 the shaft of the first primary only being white. 



Entire length G5 inches; culmen 055; wing, carpus to 

 tip, 4"6 ; tarsus 095. 



Fig. Gould, B. of Eur. pi. 297. 



243. HiEMATOPus osTRALEGUS, Linn. Oyster-catcher . 



This well-known bird is of rare occurrence on the Egyptian 

 coast, but may be occasionally met with on the Mediter- 

 ranean and Red Seas during the winter. Mr. E. C. Taylor 

 (Ibis, 1867, p. 69) and Von Heuglin (Syst. Ueb. p. 57) have 

 both observed it there. 



Entirely black above, and on the throat and upper breast ; 

 lower part of the back, rump, and upper tail-coverts, as well 

 as the rest of the under surface of the laody, pure white ; base 

 of the tail white, tip black ; lesser wing-coverts black, like the 

 back ; wings lilack, with a white bar across the primaries, and 

 the tips of the greater coverts white, forming a very distinct 

 patch on the wing ; the innermost long secondaries entirely 

 black ; legs lake-colour ; bill orange-red at the base, shading 

 into yellow to the tip. 



Entire length 14 inches ; culmen 3 ; wing, carpus to tip, 

 9/ ; tail 4 ; tarsus 21. 



Fig. Gould, B. of Eur. pi. 300. 



244. NuMENius ARQUATA, Liuu. Curlcw. 



The Curlew is plentiful throughout Egypt and Nul)ia, 

 where it frequents the sandbanks on the river and the marshes 



R 2 



