1 66 British Birds ^ 



like so many others of the class, often arranged so as 

 to occupy the least possible space, by having their 

 points all turned inward. They are of a darkish 

 olive-dun ground, abundantly blotched and spotted 

 with brown and black. These eggs are much sought 

 after as delicacies for the table. They are boiled hard 

 and served cold, and when the shell is removed they 

 have quite a jelly-like appearance. But few of the 

 eggs, however, sold in the market as " plovers' eggs," 

 are sometimes recognised by the oologist as having 

 been laid by the Lapwing. — Fig. 5, plate VII. 



TURNSTONE— (5/r^/.f//^i- interpres). 



Hebridal Sandpiper. — Found on many parts of our 

 coast either in small parties, or one or two together, 

 from September all through the winter. In the 

 spring it leaves us to go to the north for breeding 

 objects, but it has never yet been fully proved to have 

 nested within the limits of the British Islands. We 

 cannot therefore notice its nest and eggs in this place. 



OYSTER-CATCHER— (/2^^;;^«/^/^7/j ostralegus). 



Pied Oyster - catcher, Shelder, Sea -Pie, Olive. — A 

 very beautiful and well-known dweller on our sea- 

 coasts, and wonderfully provided by nature, too, with 

 a suitable instrument for purveying its destined food. 

 The bill of the Oyster-catcher is one of those natural 

 objects which form each a study in themselves. Wo«^ 

 be to the oyster or mussel, however powerful its 

 mechanism for closing its valves, if once the Oyster- 

 catcher has found means to insert that natural weapon 



