150 BIRDS OF THE BAHAMA ISLANDS. 



FAM. H^MATOPODIDyE. 



OYSTER CATCHERS, Etc. 



H.^MATOPUS PALLIATUS. Temm. 

 Oyster Catcher. 



Local Name. — Sea Pie. 



Winter Plumage, Male. — Head and neck blackish or very dark 

 brown ; back, brown ; lower part of breast and rest of under j^arts, 

 white ; eyelids, rump, tips of wing-coverts, part of secondaries, and 

 basal portion of the tail-feathers, white ; bill, orange, darkening at 

 the tip (in summer deep red) ; legs, flesh-color. 



Length 17.40, wing 10.05, '^'^'^ 4-35' tarsus 2.30, bill 3.50. 



The Oyster Catcher is a rather common resident. It may be 

 found frequenting the beaches or small sand-bars, which are exposed 

 at low tide. It was common on Andros Island in January, and very 

 tame. A few were seen at Inagua in June, but I did not succeed 

 in finding its eggs. Dr. Bryant, however, states that it is a resident, 

 and breeds in the Bahamas. 



