PLOVERS 37 



as met with here in the season. It breeds in northern 

 lands. In the winter the middle of the back and the 

 lower parts are white ; fore-neck black, upper parts 

 blackish-brown. 



Female. — Similar in colour, but not so deep. 



THE PIED OYSTER-CATCHER. 



( Hccjuatopus osU'alegus. ) 



Male. — The bill is three inches long, vermilion 

 tinged with yellow towards the base, the wedge end 

 of it dull yellow, iris crimson. The eyelids are 

 vermilion ; the head, neck all round, fore-part of 

 back, scapulars, wing coverts, quills, and end-part of 

 tail are a deep greenish-black. The breast, belly, 

 side, middle and hind-part of the back, and the 

 upper and lower tail coverts are pure white ; a band 

 of the same colour crosses the wing. The legs 

 and feet are purplish-red. The bird's length from 

 bill to end of tail is seventeen inches. 



The female resembles the male in colour, but she 

 is a little larger, measuring from bill to end of tail 

 eighteen inches. 



