OYSTER-CATCHER 249 
pany with Curlews, drawing close together on the highest 
part of a bank, as the rising tide more and more curtailed 
their foot-space. Here they remain until almost obliged 
to swim, when the leader of the flock suddenly utters a 
shrill cry ; at that moment the birds fly off. The Curlews 
sometimes remain a while, their longer legs and feet allow- 
ing them to wade in deeper water. 
Food.—The Oyster-catcher is provided with a peculiarly- 
constructed beak, laterally compressed, with which it strikes 
limpets off the rocks when they are crawling ; it is blunted 
at its extremities, so that no slender points can be 
nipped or broken off by the closing action of the valves 
of shell-fish. Such a beak seems admirably adapted for 
prizing open the slightly gaping bivalve and robbing it 
of its contents. Even in its first year the Oyster- catcher 
has apparently strength enough to open the shells of cockles 
and mussels, for on atcccnion: I have found in the stomachs 
of immature birds quantities of these creatures,’ which had 
been swallowed without their shells. Univalves are also 
eaten, such as whelks, periwinkles, and limpets, together 
with crabs, worms,? and small fish. I have found m 
several eizzards small bivalves with unbroken shells which 
measured 12 X 5 mm., also the ‘opercula’ of periwinkles 
measuring 12 mm. in diameter. 
I have known several Oyster-catchers to thrive well in 
captivity. One presented to the Dublin Zoological Gardens 
in 1901 never grew very tame, but it lived for some time on 
chopped meat ‘and fish. It was an adult bird, and retained 
its winter-plumage throughout the summer. It lived in 
harmony with a Turnstone, a Knot, a Bar-tailed Godwit, 
and a Sanderling. Two others, one presented by Mr. 
Walker and one by myself, became quite tame in a month 
or so after being caged. Both these birds were adults. 
Voice.—This bird, shy and watchful, constantly gives 
utterance to its wild cry of hé-hé@@p, ké-héép, ké-heép, both 
on the ground and on the wing. The alarm-note heard at 
the breeding-haunts sounds like quick, quick, quick. 
Fight. — The flight, though well - sustained, is less 
buoyant, and slower than that of most wading-birds. The 
1 There is no evidence that this bird feeds on oysters, as its name 
would seem to imply. 
*  * IT have often found the stomach, and even the gullet and mouth of 
this species packed full of sea-worms. 
