HjEMATOI'US PALLJATUS. 



181 



The Piping Plovers arrive from the North in May, the eggs are deposited early ia 

 June, and the young run at birtli, squatting on the naked sand when thoy perceive an in- 

 truder or are warned to do so by some peculiar note of their parents wlio, solieitous for the 

 safety of their offspring, are constantly on the lookout for enemies. The little Plovers soon 

 learn to use their wings, however, and fly well by the middle of July, then all mi'Tate to 

 the South during the latter part of August, passing the winter on Kcjy West, in company 

 with the preceding species. Contrary to my expectations, I found the Piping Plovers 

 breeding in great numbers on the Magdalen Islands, nesting on the long sand spits or a- 

 mong the dunes. 



'o 



FAMILY II. II^MATOPODID^. THE OYSTER CATCHERS, ETC. 



Bill, at least as long as head, compressed throughout, and hard at tip. Hind toe, 

 absent or small. Keel, not equal in height to the width of the sternum. Marginal indenta- 

 tions, four. 



These birds are very stout, with well-rounded bodies and short legs. The head is not 

 very large and the neck short. The coeca are very long. Sterno-trachealis, present but 

 there are no other prominent laryngeal muscles. Tympaniform membrane present as well 

 as OS transversale, but there is no semilunar membrane. 



GENUS I. H.EMATOPUS. THE OYSTER CATCHERS. 



Gen. Cii. Bill, much lontjKr than head and compressed laterally at tip. Hind toe, absent. Stomach, not muscular. 

 Furcula, well arched. 



Members of this genus have the inner marginal indentations slightly deeper than outer. Sexes similar. There is but 

 one species witliin our limits. 



H.a3MATOPUS PALLIATUS. 



Oyster Catcher. 



ffiemalopus pallintus Tkmm., Man., II; 18-in, ."iSS. 



DESCRIPTION. 



Sr. Cu. Form, robust. Size, large. Bill, twice as long as head. Sternum, stout. Tongue, thin, wideal base, nar- 

 rowing toward tip which is rounded. 



Color. Adult. Head and neck all around, black. Above, reddisli-hrown. Upper tail coverts, lower surface of body, 

 spot on lower eyelid, tips of greafer wing c iverts, and secondaries, white, with large elongated .spots of brown <in terminal 

 portion of featliers of latter. 



Youny. Similar to the adult, but the fcalhci-s above are edged with white. Iris, brown, bill ami eyelid, carmine, 

 and feet, pinkish, in all stages. 



OBSERVATIONS. 

 Readily known by the large size, absence of the hind toe, and long, compres.sed bill. Distributed, as a summer resi- 

 dent, along the Eastern coast as far north as New Jersey, wintering fmm the Carolinas, southward. 



DIMENSIO.NS. 

 Average measurements of specimens from Fliriila. Length. 18-50; stretcli, 34-50; wing, Ki-OO; tail. S-!*^; bill, 3-35; 

 tarsus, 3-30. Longe-t specimen, 19-00; greatest extent of wing, 3J-00; longest wing, 10-40; tail. 4- 10; bill, 3-(i0; t;irsus, 

 a- to. Shortest spe<iraeii, 18 00; smallest extent of wing, 3400; shortest wing, "J-(>.1: tail, 3-75; bill. 3- 10; tarsus, 2-JO. 



DESCRIPTION OF NESTS AND EG(;S. 

 E(jys, placed on the ground in a hollow scratched in the soil, with a little gni.ss,etc.; two to four in number, rather oval 

 in form, creamy or even white in color, spotted and blotched irregularly with brown of varying shades. Dimensions from 

 1-50x215 to I .55x2-25. 



