H^MATOPUS OSTRALEGUS 305 



HiEMATOPOS OSTRALEGUS, Linnsus. 

 OYSTER-CATCHEE. 



Haematopus ostralegus, Linn. Syst. Nat. i, p. 257 (1766) ; Sharpe, 

 Cat. Birds Brit. Mus. xxiv, p. 107; Malherbe, Cat. Rais. d'Ois. 

 Alg. p. 20 (1846) ; Locke, Expl. Sci. Alg. Ois. ii, p. 283 (1867) ; 

 Koenig, J. f. 0. 1888, p. 265 ; id. J. /. 0. 1893, p. 79 ; Wliitaker, 

 Ibis, 1895, p. 106; Erlanger, J.f. 0. 1900, p. 61. 



Description. — Adult male, spring, from Tunis, North Tunisia. 



Entire liead, nape and a collar round the neck black; upper back, 

 scapulars, inner secondaries, median and lesser wing-coverts brownish- 

 black ; gi-eater wing-coverts and some of the secondaries white ; primaries 

 brownish-black, the inner webs margined with white ; rump, upper tail- 

 coverts and the base of tail-feathers white ; terminal portion of tail-feathers 

 black ; a small patch immediately below the eye, a narrow throat-band 

 and aU the under parts below the neck-collar pm-e white. 



Iris reddish ; bill orange-yellow ; feet livid flesh-colour. 



Total length 18 inches, wing 9, culmen 3-20, tarsus 2-10. 



Adult female similar to the male. 



The Oyster-catcher, or " Sea-Pie," as it is often called, is not 

 uncommon in Tunisia during the colder months, arriving in the 

 autumn and leaving again in spring. It may frequently be met with 

 on the east coast of the Regency, and on the small islands off that 

 coast. 



The species occurs on passage in Algeria, Marocco and Tripoli, 

 but there appears to be no record of its breeding on the southern 

 shores of the Mediterranean. 



The Oyster-catcher is to be found throughout almost the whole 

 of the Palsearctic Region, but breeds chiefly in the more northern 

 and eastern parts. It has, however, been found nesting in son:e 

 localities further south, among others in the neighbourhood of Venice, 

 though instances of its nidification in this district appear to be much 

 rarer now than formerly. 



The species is essentially a shore-bird, and frequents more par- 

 ticularly rocky localities and uninhabited islets, rarely venturing 

 inland. It is remarkably shy and wary, and appears to be always on 

 the alert, and ready to fly off on the slightest sign of danger. Its note 

 or cry, when disturbed, is a clear loud whistle. Its flight is swift and 

 powerful, and the bird is a good swimmer. Its food seems to consist 

 20 VOL. II. 



