296 CHARADRIIDiE. 



about 2*2 by 1'$ in. The female sits about three weeks, 

 during which the male keeps watch, and becomes clamorous 

 on the approach of an enemy ; his mate attends to the 

 signal, leaves her nest in silence, and after a circuitous 

 flight, joins him in his endeavours to scold or decoy away the 

 intruder. On the rocky coasts where suitable localities are 

 scarce, each pair possesses a certain district, but on sandy 

 flat shores, such as those of Lincolnshire and Lancashire, 

 considerable numbers may be found associated ; and on some 

 of the Shetland islands, when the young are just hatched, 

 the chatter of the thirty or forty pairs of birds is perfectly 

 deafening. 



In autumn the birds which have bred in the north pass 

 southwards, and a certain influx of visitors from the Con- 

 tinent takes place, so that large flocks, generally very wary, 

 may be seen from that time onwards along the coasts. As 

 an article of food the Oyster-catcher can hardly be eulogized, 

 and although we find in the Northumberland Household 

 Book — " Item, See-Pyes for my Lorde at Princypall Feestes 

 and non other tyme," yet the L'Estranges of Hunstanton 

 had either better taste, or a greater choice of food, for the 

 Sea-Pie is only mentioned once in their Accounts, and then 

 at a low price. 



The Oyster-catcher is a rare straggler to Greenland, 

 but in Iceland it is not uncommon in summer, and is 

 believed to remain throughout the year in the southern 

 districts. It occurs in summer on all the coasts of Europe 

 from the North Cape to the White Sea, and, southward, 

 to the Mediterranean : being resident, as a rule, from 

 the Baltic to the delta of the Ehone and the shores 

 of the Adriatic. Along the Sj)anish Peninsula and the 

 islands and shores of the greater part of the Mediter- 

 ranean it is principally known as a migrant, and it is only 

 on comparatively rare occasions that it is found traversing 

 the inland portions of the Continent, except where, as in 

 Russia, it follows the course of large rivers. It retreats in 

 winter from the northern shores of the Black Sea and the 

 Caspian, on which it breeds in summer, as also, to a limited 



