H^MATOPIJS MOQUINI. 



(AFRICAN BLACK OYSTER-CATCHER.) 



" Hcematopus niger, Cuv.," Temm. Man. d'Orn. ed. 2, ii. p. 533, "Afrique meridionale, 



Australasie " (1820, partial). 

 Ostralegus capensis, Licht. Verz. Doubl. p. 73, desc. null. (1823). 

 " Hcematopus niger, Cuv.," Less. Man. d'Orn. ii. p. 301, " Malouines, Cap, Nouvelle 



Hollande " (1828, partim). 

 Hcematopus capensis (Licht.), Gray, Gen. of Birds, iii. p. 547 (1847). 

 Hcematopus unicolor, Licht. Nomencl. Av. p. 93, " Kafferland," desc. null. (1854, nee 



Wagler). 

 Hcematopus niger, Bolle, J. f. O. 1855, p. 175, "Canaries" (nee Pall.). 

 Hcematopus {Melanibyx) moquini, Bp., add and correct Table &c. Prsecoces in C. R. xliii. 



p. 1020, "S. Africa" (1856) ; Gray, Hand-1. of B. iii. p. 22. no. 10064, " S. Africa" 



(1871). 

 Melanibyx moquini, Bp., Reichenb. Handb. der spec. Orn., Grallte, pi. 168. figs. 1042-1043 



(1852). 

 Hcematopus unicolor capensis, Seebohm, Charadriidae, p. 309 (1887). 

 Melanibyx capensis (Licht.), Heine & Reichenow, Nomencl. Mus. Hein. p. 337 (1890). 



Corvino in Graciosa ; Gra/jo cle Mar on Lanzarote ; Cuervo marino on Fuerteventura. 



Figura unica. 

 Reichenbach, ut supra. 



Ad. fuliginoso-niger : rostro et periophthalmis nudis corallino-rubris : pedibus bete et saturate coccineo- 

 rubris : iride coccinea. 



Adult Male (Fuerteventura, April 20th). Entire plumage dark sooty black : bill and bare part round the 

 eye coral-red; legs deep crimson; iris bright red. Total length 150 inches, culmen 3'45, wing 98, 

 tail 4 - 3, tarsus 2'0. 



Adult Female (Fuerteventura, May 6th). Does not differ from the male in plumage. Culmen 3"55, 

 wing lO'O, tail 4'5, tarsus 2'0. 



Although essentially an African species, inhabiting the coasts of South Africa on both sides of 

 the continent, and even found occasionally in the southern parts of the Red Sea, this Oyster- 

 catcher is found regularly and breeds in the Canary Islands. Berthelot met with it on the small 

 barren island of Graciosa. Dr. C. Bolle (J. f. O. 1855, p. 175) says that he saw several pairs 

 on the shore of the peninsula of Handia in 1852, and succeeded in shooting one specimen, and 

 he subsequently states that Don Francisco Manrique observed this bird along the Straits of 



3c 2 





