282 Mr. D. A. Bannerman on an Ornithological 



HcRmatopus niger meudewaldoi is, so far as we know, 

 confined to the islands of the eastern Canary group. It is 

 unnecessary to be more explicit as to its particular haunts ; 

 suffice it to say that anyone intending to obtain specimens 

 Avill save himself much time and trouble if he gives up 

 all such ideas at once ! Several collectoi's have in vain 

 tried to shoot the birds, but have invariably returned empty- 

 handed. 



Having obtained trustworthy information as to where I 

 might find this bird, I was lucky in meeting with the object 

 of my search at the first attempt. The Black Oystercatcher 

 strikes the observer at once as being an extremely fine bird, 

 its brilliant red bill contrasting strongly with its sur- 

 roundings as it runs nimbly over the rough ground. It 

 shows little sign of fear, but when alarmed flies strongh^, 

 uttering a clear piping note as it takes to flight; the note 

 is repeated three times in quick succession. I could learn 

 nothing as to its breeding habits. No eggs appear ever to 

 have been taken of this rare Oystercatcher. 



The soft parts of this bird are as follows : — Iris brilliant 

 red ; ophthalmic ring orange-vermilion ; bill bright orange- 

 vermilion, becoming yellowish horn-colour at the tip ; legs 

 strawberry-pink, nails whitish horn. Testes largCn 



^gialitis hiaticula major. The Greater Ringed Plover. 



jEgialitis hiaticola 77iajor (Seebohm) ; Bannerman, Part I. 

 p. 46. 



Dr. P. B. Lowe has recently drawn my attention to the 

 fact that Seebohm described a large race of the Ringed 

 Plover, to which form I believe the examples which I 

 have obtained in the Canary Islands should be referred. 

 Although not one of the specimens which I obtained is 

 fully adult, they all agree perfectly with immature examples 

 of the larger race and not with the typical form. 



A few Ringed Plovers were noted on the reefs at Toston 

 in Fuerteventura ; they were not met with anywhere 

 else. Those of which I had a close view, all appeared to be 

 of this species, although it is often impossible to distinguish 

 in life between this and the typical form of the Ringed Plover. 



