74 Notes on the Ornithology of the Gold Coat. 
I have shot it near Sierra Leone, in Yawry Bay, at the 
mouth of Campbell-Town Creek, where I observed it in con¬ 
siderable numbers, in company with a large flock of Pelicans. 
Both descriptions of birds had their eggs on a large solitary 
rock about one mile from the land; and the islet was abso¬ 
lutely covered with them. 
162. Numenius PHiEOPUs (L.): Sharpe, Ibis, 1872, p. 74. 
163. Numenius arcuatus (L.): Sharpe, l . c . 
A very common bird along the Gold Coast, and, indeed, 
apparently in all parts of West Africa. It differs in no wise 
in its habits from the European bird, and is wary and difficult 
of approach. N. phceopus is not perhaps so common, how¬ 
ever, on the Gold Coast as N. arcuatus ; and this remark 
applies to the whole coast from the Gambia to Lagos. In 
the neighbourhood of Sierra Leone, however, I have noticed 
it more frequently. 
164. Totanus calidris, Bechst.: Sharpe, Ibis, 1872, p. 74. 
Tolerably common on the Gold Coast and at the mouths of 
the rivers in Western Africa. 
165. Parra apricana (Gm.): Sharpe, Ibis, 1869, p. 388. 
In inland ponds and w r aters this pretty bird can almost 
always be observed. It prefers still reaches of river and quiet 
waters covered with water-plants, over which it runs with 
astonishing rapidity in search of prey. 
Its flight is slow and heavy; and it never flies further than 
across the river, or, if disturbed, to the nearest shelter. 
They are frequently to be observed in considerable num¬ 
bers, and appear to be very sociable. 
166. Ballus oculeus (Temm.): Sharpe, Ibis, 1869, p. 195. 
This bird was brought to me from the interior by Aubinn. 
167. Nettapus madagascariensis (Gm.): Hartl. p. 247. 
I believe that this bird is found on the Yolta, as I once 
noticed a small flock of very small Duck-like birds which ap¬ 
peared to answer to its description, in the higher reaches of 
the river. In the neighbourhood of Lagos, and in the lagoons 
