300 BIRDS OF SOUTH AFEICA. 



and pointed ; the tail moderate ; the tarsi robust, and covered 

 with small scales ; the toes three ; the lateral toes united at 

 the base by a membrane, especially the outer one ; the 

 claws strong, broad, and curved. 



Ger,us ELEMATOPUS, Linnseus. 



Bill longer than the head, strong, straight, with the 

 culmen slightly depressed at the base, and the apical portion 

 much compressed to the tip, which is obtuse ; the nostrils 

 placed in a membranous groove, which reaches nearly to the 

 middle of the bill, with the opening linear ; wings long, 

 with the first quill the longest ; tail moderate and even, or 

 slightly rounded ; tarsi strong, longer than the middle toe, 

 and covered with small reticulated scales ; toes moderate, 

 strong ; the lateral toes united to the middle toe by a basal 

 membrane, especially the outer ; the claws strong, broad, 

 and slightly curved. /^J^ A ^J, 



571. HsematOpUS ^MoqUini, Bonap ; Hcemato- 

 pus ftiger, Cuv., Reg. An., Vol. 1, p. 469 ; Ostra- 

 lagus Atra, Lesson, Vol. 2, p. 301 ; H. Capensis, 

 Licht. ; The Oyster-Catcher of Colonists. 



ALL over a deep black ; bill and cere round the eyes in li&, 

 coral red ; legs deep-crimson ; bill, 2" 8'" long, flattened 

 throughout, and very much compressed at the point. 



The " Oyster-Catcher " is not uncommon along the shores of South 

 Africa, extending far towards the Line on both sides of the continent. 

 It is generally found in pairs, and feeds on small fish, mollusca, &c., 

 which it picks up along the margin of the retreating tide. The colours 

 of all the naked parts change considerably after death. It breeds 

 with us ; and I have been favoured with eggs, collected by Mr. Hugo, 

 of Simon's Town, who procured them along the shore towards Cape 

 Point. The eggs are generally two in number, laid in a simple de- 

 pression in the sand, in the debris accumulated just beyond high- 

 water mark. They are of a greyish cream-coloured ground, generally, 

 but rather sparsely covered with coarse, irregular wavey black and 

 dark- brown broken lines : axis, 2" 6'" ; diam., 1" 9'". My son 

 found it breeding on Eobben Inland about Christmas, 1865. 



The Sub-Family, CINCLIN^E, or Turnstones, 



have the bill rather short and straight, with the culmen 

 straight, and sometimes vaulted at the apical portion, the 

 sides compressed to the tip, which is obtuse or acute ; the 

 nostrils placed in a membranous groove, with the opening 

 linear and longitudinal ; the wings lengthened, with the first 

 quill the longest ; the tail rather short ; the tarsi short, 



