18 HJEMATOPUS OSTRALEGUS. 



turnstone; one of which, he says, is chiefly confined to 

 the southern, and the other to the northern parts of 

 Great Britain. The difference, however, between these 

 two appears to be no greater than commonly occurs 

 among individuals of the same flock, and evidently of 

 the same species, in this country. As several years 

 probably elapse before these birds arrive at their com- 

 plete state of plumage, many varieties must necessarily 

 appear, according to the different ages of the indi- 

 viduals. 



GENUS XLI HJEMATOPUS, LINNJEUS. 



200. HJSMATOPVS OSTRALEGUS, LINNAEUS AND WILSOX. 



PIED OYSTER-CATCHER. 

 WILSON, PLATE LXIV. FIG. II. EDINBURGH COLLEGE MUSEUM. 



THIS singular species, although nowhere numerous, 

 inhabits almost every sea shore, 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 gunshot. 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 evident, on examining the h;ird 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. 



