296 ORNITHOLOGY OF THE SCOTTISH NATIONAL ANTARCTIC EXPEDITION. 



tail-band is, I believe, almost universal in the young and immature stages of other 

 members of this genus. No mention of this peculiarity is to be found in the descriptions 

 of the species in the British Museum Catalogue of Birds, nor in the Fauna of South 

 Africa referred to above. The plumage of this specimen differs from that of the adult 

 in the presence of brown marks on the tips of the scapulars, median wing-coverts, 

 crown and ear-coverts, lead -coloured centres to the secondaries, and the smaller 

 amount of white on the three outer primaries (no white mirrors on Nos. 2 and 3, and 

 just a trace on No. 1). 



Hasmatopus moquini Bp. One specimen is in the collection, shot at Saldanha Bay 

 on May 19th. It is an adult. The bill was noted as bright crimson, the legs darker 

 crimson. 



The Black Oyster-catcher is common and resident along the shores of Cape Colony. 



JEgialitis marginata (Vieil.). Two specimens of the White-fronted Sand-plover 

 were shot on the shore at Saldanha Bay. This species is common and resident around 

 the South African coasts. It is stated to breed at Walvisch Bay in April or May. 

 These specimens (obtained on May 19th) have the sandy tint on the breast which 

 characterises the summer plumage. 



Although a shore-bird, and apparently similar in habits to its black-and-white 

 banded congeners, this species has a plumage of a general fawn coloration, with black 

 reduced to a minimum on the head, 'so that from its appearance it might be taken 

 for an isabelline desert-form. (Sclater mentions that it has been stated by Layard 

 to occur on inland waters as well, but that he has never heard of its occurrence except 

 near the sea.) 



Erythropygia coryphfeus (Less.). A single example of this species, known as the 

 Cape Ground-robin, was obtained on the 19th. It is a common bird in many parts of 

 western Cape Colony. 



Passer arcuatus Gray. A male example of the Cape Sparrow was shot on the 

 19th. This sparrow has assumed similar habits to those of our European House-sparrow 

 in the towns, but is also found remote from human habitation in the Karroo and 

 elsewhere. 



Serinus imberbis Cab. A single specimen of this finch was also obtained. 



Fringillaria impetuani (Smith). This buuting, common locally throughout the 

 colony, is represented likewise by one specimen. 



Algernon niv'osa (Swains.). One specimen was obtained. This lark is found in 

 South Africa up to the Orange River, and is abundant in the Karroo. 



In addition to the above, the following species were observed in South Africa : 



Ibis iethiopica (Lath.). Numbers of which were seen at Reits Bay, Saldanha Bay. 



Megalestris antarctica (Less.). Skuas seen at sea on the day of arrival at Cape 

 Town, and also many on the 22nd May after leaving Saldanha Bay, were probably of this 

 species, which visits South Africa during the southern winter. The Arctic Skua (Ster- 

 corarius crepidatus) is only found on the South African coasts from October to March. 



