Volume II Part 32 (2/2)

H. ater; corpore subtus, fascia alarum, uropygio, caudaeque basi, albis; remigibus primoribus totis nigris.

Rostrum pedesque rubri; collum totum nigrum; tectrices inferiores primores fuscae, secondariae albae, ad carpum et ad marginem exteriorem nigro-variegatae; fascia alarum angusta; remiges primores supra nigrae, subtus fuscae; uropygium alb.u.m parce nigro variegatum.

Longitudo corporis ab apice rostri ad apicem caadae, 22; alae a carpo ad remigem primam, 11; rosri, 3 3/10; tarsi, 2 3/10; caudae, 5.

Besides the common Oyster-Catcher of Europe, two species have lately been added to the genus, namely, H. palliatus, Temm., a native of Brazil, and H. niger, Cuv., from New Holland. The bird above described approaches more closely to the European species (H. ostralegus) than to the other two; but may be distinguished from it by the following characters, namely:

In its dimensions it exceeds the length of the European bird by six inches, and the other parts in proportion; it wants the white collar round the neck, which is a very distinctive character of H. ostralegus; the fascia on the wing is confined to the extremity of the secondary quill feathers alone, whilst in the other bird it extends to some of the wing coverts: the primary quill feathers also are entirely black; whereas the other has them partially variegated with white: the under wing coverts also differ, the primary ones being fuscous, and the outer secondary partially marked with black; whilst the whole of the under wing coverts in H. ostralegus are white. The uropygium also, which in the European bird is entirely white, is in our specimen partially variegated with black. The marginal webs of the toes are much more dilated. The whitish lunular mark under the eye of H. ostralegus, is entirely wanting in our species, of which the margin of the eye seems to be of a reddish tinge, of the same colour as the bill. This bird is common upon the sh.o.r.es of the continent generally; it is called by the colonists the Red Bill.

10. Aptenodytes minor. Gmel. Syst. 1 558.

The Little Penguin, Latham.

This bird is common in all parts of the Southern Ocean. The above specimen was found at King George the Third's Sound near the south-west extremity of New Holland. There are two specimens in the collection marked 9 a, and 9 b.

11. Tachypetes aquila. Vieillot.

Peleca.n.u.s Aquila, Gmel. Lin. 1 572.

Frigate Bird.

This specimen was obtained at Ascension, and is common in all parts of the Atlantic within or near the Tropic.

12. Sterna fuliginosa. Gmel. Lin. 1 605. Ind. Orn. 2 804.

Egg Bird, Forst. Voyage 1 115. Cook, Voyage 1 66, 275.

Noddy, Dampier, 3 pt. 1 99., table page 85. figure 5. Hawkesworth's Coll.

of Voyages, 3 652.

Sooty Tern, Gen. Syn. 6 352. Arc. Zool. 2 Number 447.

There are two specimens of this bird in the collection, marked 12 a, and 12 b.

13. Sterna pelecanoides (n.s.) S. alba; capitis vertice nigro albo-variegato; dorso, alis, caudaque canis; remigibus fusco-atris, rhachibus albis.

Colli latera parce cano-maculata; tectrices secundariae primoribus obscuriores; remiges fusco-atrae, pogoniis internis fere ad apicem albo-marginatis; rectrices externae fuscae basi apiceque albis; rostrum subflavum; pedes nigri.

Longitudo corporis, 19 1/4; alae a carpo ad remigem primam, 13 1/2; caudae, 6 3/4; rostri, ad frontem, 2 1/3, ad rictum, 3 1/6; tarsi, 1 1/6.

The hallux, or hind toe, of this bird appears to be more closely united to the fore toes, and to be situated more in front than is usual among the Terns: it is also to be observed, that the side of the nail of the middle toe is considerably dilated, although not serrated, similar to what is observed among the Pelecanidae. These characters offer a corroboration of the affinity of the Sternae to the family of the Pelecanidae, and particularly to the genus Phaeton, which approaches the Terns more closely than any other group of that family, in the smaller size of the membrane that unites the toes (see Linnean Transactions 14 505). It may also be stated on the other hand, that the same membrane of the Sterna pelecanoides deviates from its own genus, and approaches the Pelecanidae, in its being more dilated than usual. The wings are longer than the tail for a considerable extent, by which our bird also evinces another character, in common with the long-winged Tachypetes, or Frigate bird.

14. Larus georgii (n.s.)

L. albus, dorso alisque nigris; rectricibus albis, fascia media atra.

Rostrum flavum, apice rubro; mandibulae inferioris gonide maxime angulata; remiges primores atrae, secundariae supra nigrae apice albo, infra albae; tectrices inferiores albae; pedes flavi.

Longitudo corporis, 28; alae, a carpo ad remigem primam 18 3/4; mandibulae, superioris ad frontem, 2 1/3, ad rictum, 3 1/6; tarsi, 2 11/12; caudae, 8 1/2.

This bird was found at King George the Third's Sound, on the South-west Coast, in the vicinity of Seal Island.

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