the Birds of Mauritius. 101 



4fi. j3i]GlALITIS GEOFFROYI. 



JEijialitis geojfroyi Sliarpe, Cat. Birds^ xxiv. p. 217. 



Greater Sand -Plover. 



This bird is represented in tlie Port Louis Museum l)y 

 two specimens, one from Blaclc Hiver (Feb. 19!M) and 

 another from the lie d'Ambre (April 1904). 



They are both immature, and I am told Ijy jNIonsieur 

 Emmerez de Charmoy that he has on several occasions seen 

 tlie bird in Mauritius and that it was always in immature 

 plumage. 



There are specimens in the Britisli Museum from Mada- 

 gascar and Rodriguez. 



47. NUMENIUS ARQUATA. 



Numenius arquatus Sharpe, Cat. Birds^ xxiv. p. 341. 



Le C'ourlis. Le Roi Courlis. 



Curlew. 



There is a specimen of a Curlew in the Port Louis 

 Museum, said to have been shot iu Mauritius and labelled 

 N. madagascariensis. By its side is a specimen of the 

 European Curlew {N. arquata). The former is a perfect 

 giant compared to the latter, but I see that N. madagas- 

 cariensis is not recognised as a good species. 



Newton observed a Curlew in Rodriguez {' Ibis,' 1865, 

 p. 150), and the bird is well known in Madagascar. 



It is apparently a rare but regular visitor to Mauritius, as 

 it is well known to the fishermen, who are never able to 

 approach it. Its large size makes it unmistakable. 



48. Numenius ph^eopus. 



Numeaius pli(Sopus Sharpe, Cat. Birds, xxiv. p. 355. 



Corbigo. Corbijen. 



"VVhimbrel. 



This bird is abundant on the coast from September to 

 March. At Black River and in Port Louis Harbour I have 

 counted as many as fifty at a time. I have also seen single 

 individuals of this species in April, June, and July, all in 

 Port Louis Harbour. 



