BIRDS OF THE SEASHORE 101 



Plumage. Generally much like the last, but distin- 

 guishable on account of its rather greyer appearance, 

 forked tail, and larger size (8 in.), being about the size 

 of a Swift. 



Language. Like " pewr-wit." 



Habits and Food. Generally like the last. 



Nest. June. One brood. 



Site. Like the last. 



Materials. Grass, stalks, or moss. 



Eggs. One. White, faintly zoned with rusty red ; 

 rough in texture. 



OYSTER-CATCHER (Hamatopus ostralegus). 



Met with commonly on our coast-lines, perferably 

 perhaps where it is rocky, with stretches of sands. 

 Breeds abundantly in Scotland (sometimes found inland), 

 and elsewhere, in all suitable localities. 



Plumage. Head, neck, fore chest, and upper parts 

 black. Upper tail-coverts, great wing-coverts, and under 

 parts pure white. Bill long, chisel-edged, and orange- 

 yellow. Legs and feet flesh-colour. Length 16 in. 

 Female : similar ; in autumn and winter the front and 

 sides of neck white. Young : white band on throat, 

 back tinged with ruddy, and other colours duller. 

 Nestling covered with greyish down, tipped with buff 

 and mottled on head and back. 



Language. A sharp, shrill whistle, several times 

 repeated. 



Habits. Fond of perching motionless on some sea-girt 

 rock. When feeding, it runs along in a trotting manner. 

 Flight rapid, and when flying its pied plumage is con- 

 spicuous. It levers off limpets from the rocks at low 

 tide, but it is extremely doubtful whether it can success- 

 fully negotiate the bivalves of an oyster, as its name im- 

 plies. It swims with ease. 



Food. Mussels, limpets, whelks, small fish, and crus- 

 tacea ; also marine plants. 



