'////: <>: CATCHER. 



BS9 



in front. Tin- back uiul upjier part* an- a-i. n, ami tin- primaries dull black. 



length <>f tin- adult i>ir<l i> not quite seven inches. 



1'iu handsome OTOTEi; < 'A i. m.i: is anotli.-r of our coast birds, and is tolerably plentiful 

 upon ili-- .-hop-. From the. black an-1 white IML- of its plumage, it is sometimes called the 

 Sea-l'i-. 



It cen.T.illy keeps to tin- haunting xm<ly bays, interspersed with jmrtinlly sub- 



mersed nx-ks. and picking up its subsistence with ^n-at animation. It feeds mostly on 

 niolliisks. !iiuN-4'l> and limi-'ts In-in^ oniinury articles of it food. It is able to detach the 

 lirmly-cliuging limpet from the rock by striking a sluirp blow with its wedge-like beak, 









' 



. 



UTHTKB-CATCHEB.-. 



and detaching the mollnsk before it has had time to take the alarm and draw itself firmly 

 against its support. It is swift of foot, and a good swimmer, frequently taking to the 

 water in search of food, and being able to dive when alarmed. Diving, however, does not 

 seem to be a favorite accomplishment, and is seldom resorted to unless under peculiar 

 circumstances. 



In some parts of Europe, the Oyster-Catcher makes short inland migrations during the 

 summer, but even in such cases it displays its aquatic propensities by keeping near the river 

 banks, and feeding on the worms, slugs, and similar creatures. 



The nest of the Oyster-Catcher is merely a hole scraped in the ground, wherein lie three 

 or four eggs of a yellowish-olive, spotted with gray and brown. They are generally placed on 

 the beach, wellaU>ve hurh-watT mark, but the bird sometime makes its home at some distance 

 from the sea. The flat sandy coasts seem to be the localities most favored by the Oyster- 

 Catcher. The young are covered with soft down of a ^niyish-hrown color. 



The head, neck, upper part of the )>r>a-t. si-apulari.-s, .juill-feathers, and latter half of the 

 tail-feathers are deep shinintr olark. an-1 the rest of the pluma-."- i* pure white. The curious 

 beak is three inches in length, very much impressed {. r., flatt.-ii-<l -i'leways and towards 



the point i* thinned oft* into a kin.l of w.-dgi- or chisel Huuped termination. The rich ruddy 

 vot. n.-ct. 



