1 7 2 OYS TER- CA TCHER. 



OYSTER-CATCHER. 



PIED OYSTER-CATCHER. SEA PIE. OLIVE. 

 PLATE CLVI. 



Hamatopus ostralegus, PENNANT. MONTAGU. 



Hamatopus Belonii, WILLUGHBY. 



rriHE nest is placed among gravel or stones, or among 

 -*- grass near the sea bank, in situations above high- 

 water mark, where these materials of building are at 

 hand, and the bird seems to be especially partial to a 

 mixture of broken shells, which it carefully collects 

 together and places in a slight hollow in the ground, 

 using considerable care in their disposition. Several 

 nests appear to be made, sometimes, before the archi- 

 tect can fashion one to give perfect satisfaction; many 

 nests are also placed in contiguity to each other, 

 intermixed too, it may be, with those of other aquatic 

 birds. Some have been met with on the top of isolated 

 rocks, at a height of from ten to fifteen feet from the 

 ground. In lieu of shells, small pieces of stone or 

 gravel are selected, and the whiter they are the better 

 they seem to please. Incubation lasts about three 

 weeks. 



The eggs are four in number, and of a yellowish 

 stone-colour, spotted with grey, brown, and brownish- 



