140 THE BIRDS OF CUMBERLAND. 



with the flowers of the sea-pink (Statice Armeria). 

 The first clutches are complete at the beginning of 

 May, and the eggs are much incubated by the end 

 of the month, unless the nests are robbed. The 

 nests are often placed far apart, but a favourite spit 

 of shingle may contain half a dozen nests, within 

 a stone's throw of each other. The Oystercatcher 

 does not sit very closely ; but when the eggs are 

 incubated, the females may occasionally be seen 

 running off the nests, prior to taking wing. The 

 young are active, and squat readily under the cover 

 of long grass, or bolt into any convenient hole to 

 avoid capture. If caught and released, the nestlings 

 run off with great speed, halting from time to time 

 to consider which way to turn. When the young 

 are fledged, the adults continue their charge, and 

 exhibit vociferous distress, if their progeny be en- 

 dangered. When fully fledged, the young may be 

 seen following the parents in twos and threes, for 

 three eggs constitute a clutch, though we have 

 found a clutch containing four eggs on two different 

 occasions. In autumn and early winter. Oyster- 

 catchers gather into dense packs on the Solway, 

 and feed on the mussel beds. From their wariness, 

 they are difficult to shoot, as, if driven, they fly 

 over the edge of the sea, carefully calculating their 

 distance. After severe gales, many Oystercatchers 

 wander inland, frequenting grass lands. In early 

 spring, a few pairs frequently haunt the banks of 

 larger streams, proceeding to breed on the coast 

 and the gravel beds of our estuaries. 



A nestling, in down, captured on June 16, and 

 apparently about two days old, is a dark brown 



