OYSTER-CATCHER. 435 



Counties. " Pied Oyster-catcher ; rather rare. This bird is 

 occasionally killed on the Trent. In January 1888, one was 

 killed on the banks of that river ; and a few years ago, a pair 

 of these birds were killed by Mr. Bowman off Melbourne 

 Pool, on the borders of this county." 



The young birds arc frequently kept tame, and will asso- 

 ciate w^ith domestic poultry : many persons will recollect the 

 flock which some years ago used to run about inside the rail- 

 ing on the orass in front of the Pavilion at Brighton. 



These birds in a wild state unite towards winter, forming- 

 small flocks, and are then very shy and difficult to approach. 

 In spring they separate again, forming pairs ; but of these 

 pairs many associate and breed together at particular and 

 favourite localities. Montagu says they appear to be more 

 abundant on some parts of the sandy flat coasts of Lincoln- 

 shire than on any other part he was acquainted with. Near 

 Skegness, on that coast, at a point called Gibraltar, there is 

 an isolated part of a marsh, where Oyster-catchers bred in 

 such abundance, that a fisherman informed him he had col- 

 lected a bushel of eggs in a morning. 



The Oyster-catcher is to be seen, as before noticed, all 

 round our coast, from the Scilly islands to those of Shetland. 

 Mr. Selby mentions having observed them breeding on the 

 Fern Islands, and upon most of the salt water firths and lochs 

 of Sutherlandshirc. 



It is common in Denmark, Sweden, and on all the shores 

 of Scandinavia, particularly on the west coast of Norway 

 from spring to autumn, visiting the Faroe Islands and Ice- 

 land. Pennant, in his Arctic Zoology, says this bird inha- 

 bits all Russia and Siberia ; that it breeds on the great Arctic 

 flats, and extends its range to Kamtschatka. Pennant adds, 

 that the Fins hold this bird in the utmost detestation ; for 

 they suppose that when they are engaged in the seal-chase, it 



2 F ^ 



