observed during the Voyage of the 'Valhalla.' 703 



covered with feathers. As they appeared to be very tame, I 

 set my camera to photograph a group of them, when they 

 immediately walked up to me and began to inspect the legs 

 of the camera. I drove them off to tlie spot where I intended 

 to " group " them, but they immediately returned, and we 

 found that they would allow themselves to be picked up and 

 examined, and when put down again remained quite still. 



The feathers of the head and neck of the young birds are 

 white with a few dark streaks, but not nearly so much 

 streaked as the corresponding feathers of Ibis cethiopica. We 

 saw altogether about thirty individuals, but it is quite 

 probable that there are colonies elsewhere on the island. 



This species differs from Ibis bernieri of Madagascar in the 

 following particulars : — 



Lower neck naked and minutely papillose ; remiges without 

 dark-coloured tips ; decomposed tertials greenish blue on 

 outer, greyish green on inner webs ; and iris light blue instead 

 of white (Ridgway). These characters are borne out in my 

 examples, especially as regards the bare lower neck and the 

 pale blue iris. 



Dkomas arueola Paykull. 



Dromas ardtola Ridgway, Proc. U.S. Nat. Mus. xviii. 

 p. 527. 



This is the most abundant Wader on Aldabra; it does not 

 breed there, but during our visit I saw enormous flocks 

 along the shore, whence as the tide rose they flew over into 

 the lagoon. 



We did not see any Flamingoes on Aldabra. Abbott 

 says that Phcenicopterus erythreeus (?) "doubtless breeds 

 on Aldabra"; but I was told by the natives that such 

 is not the case. 



— Squatarola helvetica Linn. 



Squatarola helvetica Sharpe, Cat. B. B. M. xxiv. p. 182. 



One adult female. 



The Grey Plover appears to be a common winter visitor to 

 Aldabra. The example obtained is assuming its breeding- 

 plumage by a moult. 



