Rallus philippensis was originally found in the Philippine Islands. It appears to have a very extensive range, as it inhabits lands both in the North and South Pacific, as well as in the Indian Ocean.
9. Haematopus picatus (n.s.)
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 album 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 shores 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.
Pelecanus Aquila, Gmel. Lin. 1 572.
Frigate Bird.