BIRDS OF THE BRITISH ISLES. 



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\>$ter Catcher. 



THE Oyster Catcher (Hczmalopus ostralegus, Linnaeus) is a 

 resident species in the British Islands, and is met with in 

 Northern Europe as well as Central Asia. The adult in 

 summer has the head, neck, upper portion of breast, mantle, 

 and scapulars, brilliant black ; lesser wing-coverts, also 

 black ; tail, black ; basal part of latter, white ; greater wing- 

 coverts, part of secondaries, rump, and upper tail-coverts, 

 white ; primaries, blackish, marked with white on inner 

 webs ; remainder of plumage, white ; irides, crimson ; bill, 

 orange, getting richer in colour towards base; legs and 

 feet, pinkish red. Length, about sixteen inches. The 

 female resembles the male. The young have the upper 

 parts margined with buffish, and show no white on throat. 



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