BIRDS OF THE SEA-SHORE. 



SOLAN GOOSE. 



ridiculously small compared with the nest. Great numbers 



gather at their favourite breeding-places in the spring, and 



they are then said to be very tame. In autumn these great 



assemblages, with the new 



generation they have reared, 



break up, and the individuals 



distribute themselves widely 



over the seas, where they 



follow at a height the shoals 



of fish, suddenly diving straight 



to the mark and capturing the 



fish selected for their prey. 

 The Common Grey Heron, 



or Hern (Ardea cinered), 



though not usually reckoned 



among maritime birds, is frequent on our shores, and may 



often be seen to fly along, then settle with his feet in the water 



beside some grey rock where he is all but invisible, and watch 



for fish and other marine creatures. 

 i The ill-named Oyster Catcher (Hcematopus ostralegus) is well 



distributed along our shores, and it is no uncommon thing to 



hear its loud and shrill rattling pipes, and turning at the 



sound, to see its elegant form perched on a rock that is 



surrounded by water. In such a prominent position its black 



and white plumage, its red 

 legs, and long red beak 

 render it very conspicuous. 

 I do not think it catches 

 many oysters, unless they 

 be the fragile Saddle-oysters 

 (Anomid) from the rocks. 

 The oyster of commerce 

 and gastronomy (O sired} 

 has too thick and large a 

 OYSTER CATCHER. shell for it, though its bill 



