AMERICAN OYSTER CATCHER 91 



Its markings and peculiarities: bill black, 

 long for this family, thick and large. Fore- 

 head white, this color carried back over the 

 eyes to the nape. Top of the head brownish 

 gray, blackening at the forehead; the nape 

 same color as the top of the head. Blackish 

 stripe from the base of the bill to the eye but 

 not beyond. Throat and entire under parts ex- 

 cept the half collar of black are pure white, the 

 white of the throat completely encircling the 

 neck. Primaries blackish, lighter at the bases, 

 inner ones with outer edges of white. Central 

 tail feathers dusky, darkening toward the ends 

 and white-tipped. Outer pair or so white. 



Female much like the male except that the 

 black markings have become a rusty brown in 

 her dress. 



AMERICAN OYSTER CATCHER. 



(Haematopus palliatus.) 



The American Oyster Catcher is but seldom 

 seen on the coast of northern New England, 

 probably being scarcer on these ranges than 

 in any other part of his habitat. It does not 

 gather into large flocks nor does it to any ex- 



