248 CHABADKIIDJE 



seen throughout the summer. During the rest of the 

 season, owing to the influx of migrants, Oyster-catchers 

 become abundant around the coasts of Great Britain and 

 Ireland, and have also been met with away from the tide. 

 These birds are highly gregarious ; at high water they 

 closely pack together on the summit of a reef, occupying all 

 the available room. Here they make a pretty study in black 

 and white, while their pink legs and orange beaks brighten 

 the dark rocky pedestal which supports them. At first ebb 

 they fly off, and alight on the sand-banks over which the 

 shallow, rippling wavelets still flow. As the tide recedes, 



FIG. 36. OYSTER-CATCHER. 



the birds scatter themselves over extensive stretches of sand 

 and ooze, on which they run about with great agility in 

 search of food. Immense numbers, in company with Gulls, 

 may be observed standing far out at the edge of the tide, 

 sometimes at a distance of seven to eight hundred yards 

 from high- water mark. These birds ' line out ' in a long 

 unbroken flank, reminding one of a regiment of infantry 

 soldiers ; to the unaided eye they look like mere specks, 

 yet the chorus produced by their shrill voices carries with 

 remarkable distinctness. 



As the tide turns, speedily converting the flat sandy 

 beach into a sheet of water, Oyster-catchers, generally 

 accompanied by other species, may be seen collecting 

 together on sand-banks yet uncovered by the inflowing 

 tide. I have several times watched great numbers in com- 



