1 86 OUR RARER BIRDS 



the air, uttering his loud heep-heep-heep as he goes, and dashes 

 impetuously off across the bay or round the distant point the 

 moment you approach too near his haunt. 



If you wish to observe the Oystercatcher's actions on the 

 shore you must stalk him, every bit as carefully as you would 

 a timid deer, or conceal yourself behind the rocks, or amongst 

 the big wet seaweed-covered boulders, in the rear of the sand 

 and shingle. What a dainty, pretty, lively bird he is ! See 

 how quickly he runs across the smooth beach or trips lightly 

 over the rougher ground, searching everywhere for the crea- 

 tures on which he feeds ! His long chisel-shaped beak pokes 

 into the crevices and turns over the pebbles, exposing the 

 crustaceans and other small marine animals. It also serves 

 another important purpose, and that is to wrench off the 

 limpets from the rocks, which he does with a sharp twist of 

 his head, and then picks out the contents of the shell. At 

 low water he is busy amongst the rocks, which are festooned 

 with mussels, and then he is perhaps seen to best advantage, 

 his very decided black and white plumage contrasting richly 

 with the dark rocks and olive seaweeds. Many a time do 

 I stand and watch this bird at the head of some quiet 

 sea-loch when the tide is out, busy amongst the whelks and 

 other shellfish. Or when the tide is coming in he is equally 

 active, perhaps even more so than usual, as if he were anxious 

 to get as much food as possible before the water covered the 

 rocks. So eager does he search that the spent waves break 

 round him, or he rushes into the foaming water as it recedes 

 down the bank of sand to catch some little struggling worm 

 or shrimp that has been cast ashore. At high water, especially 

 in districts where his usual feeding grounds are covered by 

 the tide, he may often be seen standing on some huge rock 

 near the waves ; and at St. Kilda I used frequently to see 

 these birds fast asleep on the big stones waiting for the 

 ebb. 



