GENUS 76. H^EMATOPUS. OYSTER-CATCHER. 



SPECIES. H. OSTRALEGUS* 



PIED OYSTER-CATCHER. 



[Plate LXIV. Fig. 2.] 



Jlrct. Zool. JVo. 406. LATH. %n. in, p. 219. CATESBY, i, 85. 

 BEWICK, n, 23. PEALE'S Museum, JVo. 4258. 



THIS singular species, although nowhere numerous, inhabits 

 almost every seashore, both on the new and old continent, but 

 is never found inland. It is the only one of its genus hitherto 

 discovered, and from the conformation of some of its parts one 

 might almost be led by fancy to suppose, that it had borrowed 

 the eye of the Pheasant, the legs and feet of the Bustard, and 

 the bill of the Woodpecker. 



The Oyster-catcher frequents the sandy sea beach of New 

 Jersey, and other parts of our Atlantic coast in summer, in small 

 parties of two or three pairs together They are extremely shy, 

 and, except about the season of breeding, will seldom permit a 

 person to approach within gun shot. They walk along the shore 

 in a watchful stately manner, at times probing it with their long 

 wedge-like bills in search of small shell-fish. This appears evi- 

 dent on examining the hard sands where they usually resort, 

 which are found thickly perforated with oblong holes two or 

 three inches in depth. The small crabs called fiddlers, that 

 burrow in the mud at the bottom of inlets, are frequently the 

 prey of the Oyster-catcher; as are muscles, spout-fish, and a 

 variety of other shell-fish and sea insects with which those shores 

 abound. 



* GMEL. Syat. i, p. 694. LA.TH. Jud. On. p. 752. Gen. Syn. in, p. 219. 

 STEPHENS, Gen. Zool. xi, p. 494, pi 36. UHuitrier, BUFF, vm, p. 119, pi. 9. 

 PI. Enl. Ab. 929. TEMM. Jtfau d'Orn. p- 531. 



