ING THE * NORTH OF KENT 103 
the lambing season. <A few lambs that had lost 
their mothers, were huddled together against a 
gate, getting all the warmth from the sun 
they could, and looked miserably ill. Peewits 
(described in Part. I, pp. 93-7) were feeding on 
the marshes, their melancholy ‘ Pee-ee-wit ’ 
cry as they wheeled up on our approach 
attracting our attention to them. We caught 
sight also of an oyster-catcher, which was 
distinguished at once as rather a large bird, 
as large as a big pigeon (it measures sixteen 
inches),and by the conspicuous white under part 
of the body contrasting with the black upper 
parts. From this plumage he gets the name 
of the Sea Magpie, or Sea Pre. He has a red 
bill. He did not give us his shrill whistling 
ey.) | hese (birds. ‘often. come, up: inland 
from the sea-shore, their favourite haunt, 
and feed on worms and grubs, if they cannot 
get enough of their soft food, viz., marine 
insects, mussels, and the like, there. Their 
long red beaks and legs well set off the black 
and white of their plumage. They look 
very pretty in captivity and are easily domes- 
