CHAP. XI. 



OYSTER-CATCHER. 



123 



excellent view of two oyster-catchers.* All these were new 

 arrivals. Many green wagtails were to be seen, and we shot 

 four males and two females. In the village we met a shore- 

 lark, the first we had seen for many days in the streets. 



The unfavourable-looking day proved one of the most 

 interesting we had yet had. 



* The oyster-catcher (Hmmatopus 

 ostralegus, Linn.) appears to be confined 

 to the eastern hemisphere, only acci- 

 dentally straying as far as Greenland ; 

 being represented on the American 

 continent by a nearly allied species, 

 flamatopus palliatus (Temm.). The 

 Arctic circle appears to be the northern 

 limit of its range, and it does not ap- 

 pear to visit South Africa, Australia, 

 or New Zealand, being, represented in 



the two latter countries by a nearly 

 allied species, Hcematopus longirostris 

 (Gmel.). Throughout the greater part 

 of its range the oyster-catcher is a more 

 or less partial resident, being a summer 

 visitant only in the extreme north, and 

 a winter visitant in the extreme south. 

 In the valley of the Petchora we found 

 them in small numbers up to about 

 twenty miles within the Arctic circle. 



OLD RUSSIAN SILVER CROSS. 



