176 THINOCORID/E. 



392. H^MATOPUS PALLIATUS, Temm. 

 (AMERICAN OYSTER-CATCHER.) 



Haematopus palliatus, Scl. et Salv. Nomencl. p. 143 ; Durnford, Ibis, 1878, 

 p. 403 (Centr. Patagonia) ; Seebohm, Plovers, p. 305 ; Baird, Brew., et Ridgiv. 

 Water-B. N. A. i. p. 112. 



Description. Head and neck all round black ; back and wing-coverts brown ; 

 upper tail-coverts, greater wing-coverts, and abdomen white ; bill and feet 

 orange : whole length 17'0 inches, wing 9-5, t;dl 3-5. Female similar. 



Hab. America. 



This Oyster-catcher is widely distributed along the coasts of North 

 and South America, from Nova Scotia to Patagonia. Durnford found 

 it nesting near Tombo Point in Central Patagonia in the month of 

 December, but failed to obtain the eggs. 



At the same place Durnford also observed the Black Oyster-catcher 

 (H. ater), but that is an Antarctic species, which may probably not 

 come further north. 



Fam. XLVIII. THINOCORID^E, OR SEED-SNIPES. 



The family Thinocoridse, which embraces the two genera Thinocorus 

 and Attagis, is a peculiar group of South-American birds of somewhat 

 Partridge-like appearance, and associated by the older authors with the 

 Gallinae, but now known to be most nearly allied in essential structure 

 to the Plovers. The Seed- Snipes are inhabitants of bare and desolate 

 districts, being found in the northern parts of the continent only on 

 the high Andes, but descending to the sea-level in Patagonia and the 

 Falkland Islands. The species are few in number, only about six being 

 known, of which two occur within Argentine limits. 



393. THINOCORUS EUMICIVORUS, Eschsch. 

 (COMMON SEED-SNIPE.) 



Thinocorus rumicivorus, Burm. La-Plata Reise, ii. p. 501 (Rosario) ; Scl. et 

 Salv. Nomencl. p. 144 j iid. P. Z. S. 1868, p. 143 (Buenos Ayres) j Durnford, 

 Ibis, 1877, p. 42 (Chupat) et p. 197 (Buenos Ayres), et 1878, p. 403 (Centr. 

 Patagonia) ; Tacz. Orn. Per. iii. p. 283. 



Description. Above buffy brown, marbled and irregularly banded with black ; 

 wing-feathers black, edged with white, external secondaries like the back tail 



