CHAKADRIIB.55. 



Sub-Family H^MATOPODIN.^. 



The eggs of the Oyster-catchers are usually of a regular oval form, 

 hut at times they are somewhat sharply pointed. A few specimens 

 are elliptical. Tliey possess a small amouut of gloss and are all 

 handsomely marked. 



Genus H.ffi]y[ATOPUS, Linn. 



Haematopus ostralegus, Linn. 



Hfematopiis ostralegus, Tliien. FortpJJariz. qes. Voi/. tah. Ivii. fig. 6, 

 «-/■ (184o-o4); Baedeker, Eier Eur. Viiq. t&h.h. fig. 1 (1855-03); 

 Hewitson, Effi/s of Brit. B. ii. p. 305, pi. Ixxx. (1856) ; Seehohm Sc 

 Hurvie-Brown, Ibis, 187G, p. i290 ; Dresser, Birds Eur. vii. p. 507 

 (1877); Leijue, Birds Ceylon, p. 987 (1880); Seehohm, Brit. Birds, 

 iii. p. 4, pi. 24 (1885); id. Geoqr. Distr. Charadriida>, p. 301 

 (1887); id. Eggs of Brit. Birds, p. 119, pi. 38. fig. 8 (1896); 

 Poynting, Eggs of Brit. Birds, p. 75, pl. 18 (1895-6); Sharpe, Cat. 

 Birds B. M. xxiv. p. 107 (1896) ; id. Hand-l. i. p. 147 (1899). 



The eggs of the European Oyster-catcher are of a pale buff colour, 

 frequently tinged with rufous or olive. The markings consist of 

 spots, streaks and hlotches of dark brown or black, and underlying 

 grey or pale purple. Occasionally they assume the shape of short 

 lines and scrawls. They are generally ver}- evenly distributed over 

 the whole shell, but in some specimens they are coarser and more 

 numerous at the broad end than elsewhere, but they seldom form 

 a well-defined cap. Examples measure from 2-05 to 2-57 in length, 

 and from 1'5 to 1-72 in breadth. 



1. Faroe Islands [H. C. Miiller: Hargitt 



Coll.). 



2. Faroe Islands {H. C. M.: Hargitt 



Coll.). 



3. Faroe Islands, 15th May (H. C. M. : 



Hargitt Coll.). 

 3. Faroe Islands, 16th May [H. C. M. : 



Hargitt Coll.). 

 3. Fartie Islands, 22nd May (H. C. M. : 



Hari/itr, Coll.). 

 ] Shetland Islands {H. Seehohm). 



2. Unst, Shetland Islands {A. Neivton). 



3. Copinsha, Orknev Islands {Hargitt 



Coll.). 

 3. Loch Maddy, N. Uist, Hebrides, 



6th .Ivme (E. T. Seehohm). 

 3. Loch Maddy, 6th June {E. V. S.). 

 2. Sutherlandshire, 4th June. 

 2. Island of Glencoul, Sutherland, 



29th May (J. A. Harvie Broivn: 



Hargitt Coll.). 



2. Nairn, Morav Firth, June {H. Gunn. 



Harqitt Coll.). 



3. Whitebridge, Inverness, May 



{J. Richmond: Hargitt Coll.). 

 6. Cumberland (Heysham). 



Seehohm Coll. 



Seebohm Coll. 



Seehohm Coll. 



Seebohm Coll. 



Seebohm Coll. 



Seebohm Coll. 

 Salvin-Godman Coll. 

 Seebohm Coll. 



Seebohm Coll. 



Seebohm Coll. 

 vSeebohm Coll. 

 Seebohm Coll. 



Seebohm Coll. 

 Seebohm Coll. 

 Gould Coll. 



