AMEKICAN OYSTER CATCHER 309 



also in the Black and Caspian Seas, south to Macedonia and Asia 

 Minor. Replaced by allied forms in Asia and Japan. 



Winter range. — Some winter in Iceland, many in the British Isles, 

 but the main winter quarters lie in the Mediterranean, the Red Sea, 

 the Persian Gulf, the African coast south to Mozambique, and India. 



Sjpnng migration. — At the Straits of Gibraltar the passage north- 

 ward takes place in April and May, according to Farrer, and in Malta 

 in April, but in the eastern Mediterranean it is apparently rather 

 earlier, for in Greece one has been noted at the end of March, and 

 Lindermeyer gives mid-April as the main passage date. At Corfu it 

 has been seen on March 20. Danish birds arrive on their breeding 

 grounds late in March or early in April, and in southern Sweden in 

 March while in Finland not till late April. 



Fall migration. — Gaetke noted many young birds on Heligoland 

 in August arid migrants have been recorded for Greece in mid- 

 August. The autumn movement is more prolonged than the spring 

 passage, owing to the presence of young as well as adults, so that at 

 Malta birds have been recorded from August to November. The 

 main passage at Tangier takes place in October. 



Casual records. — Winge's Greenland records include two dated 

 April 19, 1885, near Nanortalik, and one on June 16, 1888, north of 

 Jakobshavn. It has also been noted on Jan Mayen (A. G. Nathorst 

 and L. C. Masters) ; once north of Bear Island, July 28, 1910; and 

 once in Spitsbergen, July, 1906 (Mathey-Dupraz). 



Egg dates. — From the British Islands, April 26 to June 26 (25 

 dates), May 2 to 29 (14 dates), June 4 to 26 (10 dates) ; Holland, 

 May 11 to "25 (25 dates) ; Norway, June 10 to 27 (8 dates) ; Faroes, 

 May 15 to 22 (3 dates). 



HAEMATOPUS PALLIATUS PALLIATUS Tcmminck 

 AMERICAN OYSTER CATCHER 



HABITS 



The usual impression that one gets of this large and showy wader 

 is a fleeting glimpse of a big, black and white bird disappearing in 

 the distance over the hot, shimmering sands of our southern beaches. 

 It is one of the shyest and wildest of our shore birds, ever on the 

 alert to escape from danger ; I have never shot one and seldom have 

 had half a chance to do so. Even during the breeding season when 

 its anxiety for its eggs or young prompts it to be less wary, it flies 

 around the intruder in wide circles, well beyond gun range, yelling 

 its loud notes of protest. It was evidently about as shy even in 

 the days of Audubon and Wilson, for both mentioned its wariness. 



