PLUVIALIN^E. OSTRALEGUS. 59 



stomach large, oblong, with radiated tendons, and distinct 

 strong lateral muscles, the epithelium dense, rather thin, with 

 prominent rugae ; intestine rather slender, of moderate 

 length, with two rather long cylindrical coeca ; the cloaca 

 globular or elliptical. Nostrils linear, subbasal, direct. 

 Eyes of moderate size, eyelids feathered. Aperture of ear 

 transversely oblong, very small. Legs long and stout ; tibia 

 bare for about a third ; tarsus compressed, covered with hexa- 

 gonal scales, the anterior larger ; toes three, spreading, short, 

 depressed, broadly margined, scutellate ; the inner shortest, 

 the outer and middle with the margins dilated and united 

 at the base, so as to form a short web, the middle and inner 

 with a much smaller web ; claws very small, very slightly 

 arched, narrow, obtuse. Plumage soft, blended, somewhat 

 distinct and compact on the back : the feathers ovate, or 

 lanceolate ; wings long, acute, with thirty quills ; primaries 

 with very strong shafts, the first longest ; outer secondaries 

 short, obliquely rounded, inner tapering and very elongated ; 

 tail rather short, nearly even, of twelve broad rounded fea- 

 thers. 



The bill in all the species of this genus is of an attenu- 

 ated wedge-like form at the end, whereas in the young 

 which have not used it, the tip is not compressed, and the up- 

 per mandible is a little longer than the lower. The species 

 are few, and greatly resemble each other, not only in form, 

 but also in size and colouring. The bill is always red, and 

 the plumage black and white, or of the former colour alone. 

 One or other of the species is found in almost every known 

 country. They reside on the shores, and feed on mollusca 

 and Crustacea. Ostralegus, although translated Oyster- 

 catcher, ought to be Englished by Shell-gatherer ; nor is 

 there the slightest reason to believe that these birds eat 

 oysters. A single species occurs in Britain. 



175. OSTRALEGUS H^EMATOPUS. PIED OYSTER-CATCHER. 



Bill vermilion, feet pale purplish-red; head, neck, fore 

 part of back, wings, and terminal half of tail black ; the rest 

 white ; generally on each side of the neck an obscure white 

 mark behind the ears, and in some individuals a white band 

 across the neck, while in others there are no white marks on 



