Genus LXXVI. H^MATOPUS. OYSTER-CATCHER. 

 Species. H. OSTRALEGUS* 



PIED OYSTER-CATCHER. 



[Plate LXIV. Fig. 2.] 

 Arcx. Zool. No. 406. — Lath. Syn. iii., p. 219. — Catesbt, i., 85. — Bewick, ii., 23. 



Tins singular species, although nowhere numerous, inhabits almost 

 every seashore, both on the new and old continent, but is never found 

 inland. It is the only one of its genus hitherto discovered, and from 

 the conformation of some of its parts one might almost be led by fancy 

 to suppose, that it had borrowed the eye of the Pheasant, the legs and 

 feet of the Bustard, and the bill of the Woodpecker. 



The Oyster-catcher frequents the sandy sea beach of New Jersey, 

 and other parts of our Atlantic coast in summer, in small parties of two 

 or three pairs together. They are extremely shy, and, except about the 

 season of breeding, will seldom permit a person to approach within gun- 

 shot. They walk along the shore in a watchful stately manner, at times 

 probing it with their long wedge-like bills in search of small shell-fish. This 

 appears evident on examining the hard sands where they usually resort, 

 which are found thickly perforated with oblong holes two or three inches 

 in depth. The small crabs called fiddlers, that burrow in the mud at 

 the bottom of inlets, are frequently the prey of the Oyster-catcher ; as 

 are muscles, spout-fish, and a variety of other shell-fish and sea insects 

 with which those shores abound. 



The principal food, however, of this bird, according to European 

 writers, and that from which it derives its name, is the oyster, which it 

 is said to watch for, and snatch suddenly from the shells, whenever it 

 surprises them sufiicicntly open. In search of these it is reported that 

 it often frequents the oyster beds, looking out for the slightest opening 

 through which it may attack its unwary prey. For this purpose the form 

 of its bill seems very fitly calculated. Yet the truth of these accounts 

 is doubted by the inhabitants of Egg Harbor and other parts of our 

 coast, who positively assert that it never haunts such places, but confines 

 itself almost solely to the sands. And this opinion I am inclined to 



* Gmel. Syst. I., p. 694. — Lath. Ind. Orn. p. 752. — Gen. Syii. in., p. 219. — Ste- 

 phens, Gen. Zool. xi., p. 494, pi. 36. — L Huitrier, Buff, viii., p. 119, pi. 9 — PL 

 Enl. No. 129.— Temm. Man. d' Orn. p. 531. 



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