OYSTER-CATCHER 387 



Mr. W. H. Power, in 1865, says : " Last year (1864) 

 my brother killed one on August 26 at Eainham, the 

 first I ever saw in this district. I saw one or two in 

 September, 1865, but they are rare." 



There is an immature female in the Maidstone 

 Museum, obtained at Gillingham on September 6, 1894, 

 by Mr. H. Payne. 



Mr. W. Prentis records "a specimen procured in 

 August, 1892, in summer plumage." 



Genus H^MATOPUS, LinncTus. 

 OYSTER-CATCHEK. 



HcBmatopus ostralerjus (Linnaeus). ^^.N.^ i., p. 257 



(1766). 



Sea-Pie ; Olive. 



The Oyster-catcher is occasionally to be met with on 

 the large sandy flats on the coast of Kent, but not in 

 large numbers, as formerly. 



It bred many years ago in large numbers on the 

 " Lydd Beach," but, like many other birds that have 

 been driven away, few, if any, stay now. 



Boys, in his Birds of Sandivich, 1792, adds this bird 

 under the name of Sea-Pie, which is called the Olive 

 of Sandwich. 



The Kev. J. Pemberton Bartlett, writing in 1844, 

 states that the Oyster-catcher " breeds on the shingle 

 at Eomney Marsh." 



Mr. W. H. Power, in his Birds Observed at Bai7iham, 

 says : " One made its appearance on September 20, 1865 ; 

 my brother, however, gave it so warm a reception that 

 it quickly went off again. It is a decided rarity." 



