H^MATOPIJS. 



309 



The Australian Black Oystercatcher resembles its American cousin in having the Specific 

 whole of its plumage black ; but the basal half of the bill is slightly more elongated, and characters, 

 the colour of the legs and feet is brick-red, instead of pale flesh-colour. It is a resident 

 throughout the coasts of New Zealand, Australia, and Tasmania. 



HiEMATOPUS UNICOLOR CAPENSIS. 



AFRICAN BLACK OYSTEBCATCHEB. 

 HiEMATOPtrs UNICOLOR rostro breviore : pedum rubro colore potius purpurascente quam miniato. 



Diagnosis. 



It is often very difficult to distinguish some examples of the African form of this species Variations 

 from the Australian. 



• Hffimatopus capensis, Lichtenstein, Verz. Doubl. p. 73 (1823). 



HEematopus moquini, Bonap.fide Hartlaub, Orn. Westafr. p. 218 (1857). 



Plates. — Gray, Genera of Birds, iii. pi. cxlvi. 



Habits.— Sharpe, Layard's Birds of South Africa, p. 672. 



Eggs. — Andersson, Birds of Damara-Land, p. 277. 



Synonymy. 



Literature. 



The African Black Oystercatcher is so closely allied to its Australian representative Snbspecific 

 that many ornithologists do not discriminate between them. It may, however, be recognized 

 by its shorter bill, the basal half of which is not exceptionally elongated, and by the colour 

 of its legs and feet, which are not brick-red, but deep crimson. It can scarcely be regarded 

 as more than subspecifically distinct from the Australian form, though the respective ranges 

 of the two do not meet, and therefore no interbreeding can take place. It is probable. 



