BRITISH BIRDS. 



THE OYSTER-CATCHER. 



PIED OYSTER-CATCHER, OR SKA-PIE. 



Ostralegus^ Linn. ITnitcricr pie^ 

 Temm.) 



THE Oyster-catcher generally weighs about six- 

 teen ounces, measures seventeen inches in length, 

 and two feet eight inches in breadth. The bill is 

 bright scarlet, about three inches long, widest at 

 the nostrils, and grooved beyond them nearly half 

 its length; thence to the tip it is vertically com- 

 pressed on the sides, and in old birds ends obtusely : 

 with this instrument, which, in its shape and struc- 

 ture, is peculiar to this bird, it easily disengages 

 the limpets from the rocks, and is said to pluck out 

 the oysters from their half-opened shells; on these 

 it feeds, as well as on other kinds of shell-fish, sea- 

 worms, and insects. The irides are lake red; 

 orbits orange; under orbit white, and in winter a 

 crescent shaped stroke of this colour crosses the 

 throat; head, neck, upper part of the back, scapu- 



VOL. II. B 



