E^MA TOPODIDJE — H^MA TOPODIN^ : OYSTER-CA TCHERS. 



607 



white tips of the greater coverts a conspicuous broad oblique white bar. Primaries dusky, 

 blackening toward end, touched with white at bases of the inner webs of longer ones, with white 

 on outer webs of the short inner ones, but no isolated white subterininal spaces. (Thus much 

 less white on wings and tail than in ostrilegus, besides the difference in color of the back ; 

 though some aUowance in either case must be made for normal variation from the minuteness 

 (.f my description.) Entire under parts pure white, including liniug of wings, where, however, 

 a few dusky feathers commonly show along the edge. Length 17.UU-21.0U ; extent 30.00-36.00 ; 

 wing 10.00 or more ; tail 4.00 or more ; tarsus 2.00 or more ; middle toe and claw under 2.00. 

 BiU 3 or 4 inches long, varying in shape with almost every specimen, with wear and tear under 



"4 





a»7. 



Fig. 421. —European Oyster-oatcher, i nat. size. (From Brehm.) 



the rough usage to which it is subjected ; ordinarily both mandibles truncated ; often the lower, 

 sometimes both, acute. Bills worn thinnest and most knift-blade-like towards end arc often 

 bent sideways, as if from habitual use of them in a particular direction. N. Am., C. and S. Am., 

 almost entirely coast-wise, and chiefly along the Atlantic, but also on the Pacific side. Migra- 

 tory all along, wintering from the middle districts southward, breeding in abundance but 

 irregularly at different points. There are extensive breeding resorts along the Virginia coast. 

 H. ni'ger. (Lat. niger, black.) Black Oyster-catcher. Size and shape of the fore- 

 going. Head and neck the same, but no white on eye-lids, and no white anywhere ; rest of 

 plumage dark smoky-brown, blackening on wings-qmlls and tail-feathers. Pacific coast. 



