OYSTER-CATCHER. 529 



the breast, scapulars, inter-scapulars, smaller wing-coverts, 

 quill -feathers, and the distal half of the tail-feathers, black ; 

 the back, great wing-coverts, part of the inner web of the 

 primaries, upper tail-coverts, the basal half of the tail- 

 feathers, the lower part of the breast, all the under surface 

 of the body, under surface of the wings, and the axillary 

 plume, pure white; the greater coverts forming a white 

 bar on the wing ; the legs and toes purplish flesh colour ; 

 the claws black. 



The whole length is rather more than sixteeen inches. 

 From the carpal joint to the end of the wing, nine inches 

 and three-quarters: the first quill-feather about half an 

 inch longer than the second, and the longest in the wing. 



In the winter half-year, adult birds have a white gorget 

 round the front of the neck. I have known this mark as- 

 sumed early in September, and borne through the winter, 

 and over a great portion of the spring. 



Young birds of the year have the feathers of the back 

 and wings margined with brown, and they do not obtain a 

 white gorget during their first winter. 



VOL. II. M M 



