158 I.IMILIAR WILD nih'fiS!. 



every summei- into the interior, and breeds upon tlie banks 

 of rivers and sniiill_ islets. At these times the O3 ster- 

 eateher feeds upon the wornis and g'rul)s to be found in 

 pastures and grass fields; but the ordinary food consists 

 of lini2>ets, mussels and other bivalves, sea-worms, and 

 marine inseets. 



The bill of this bird is well worthy of notice, as it is 

 admira])]y adapted for procurini"- the i>artieular food to 

 which its owner is so ])artial. It is about three inches in 

 length, greatly com])ressed, and terminates in a thin verti- 

 cal wedge ; indeed, just the instrument to insert between 

 the two portions of a bivalve and extract the contents. 

 The Oyster-catcher is quite an adept in the use of his bill, 

 and it is said that even the most stubbornly lixed limpets 

 are dislodged with ease and rapidity. 



In the winter months these birds congregate in Hocks 

 differing considerably in size ; but when the sjn-ing ap- 

 proaches these Hocks are broken up and the biids ])air for 

 the breedini»- season ; but the Oyster-catcher is naturally 

 of social habits, and even alter ])airing many couples will 

 proceed to the same locality and breed together. 



Yvry littl e troub le is expeiided on the iiest, as in the 

 majority of cases the eggs are laid in a slight hollow 

 scratched in the bare shingly ground. Four_eggs are 

 usually liud, of a yellowish ston e co lour, h^potted with ash- 

 grey and dark brown ; they are about two inches in length 

 and one inch and a half in breadth. 



The male is very attentive to his mate during incuba- 

 tion, and both l»irds exhibit great anxiety to decoy or frighten 

 away any troublesome intruder. The female sits for about 

 three weeks, and the young birds when hatched are covered 

 with a pretty soft down of a greyish-brown colour 



