STREPSlLASHsEMA TO PUS 7 5 1 



It runs with ease, and its flight is strong and swift. Its note 

 is a clear, loud whistle, kee, kee, kee, uttered first slow, then 

 quicker. It breeds early in June on or near the sea coast, the 

 nest being usually under a large stone or a bush, sparingly lined 

 with grass-bents. The eggs, 4 in number, are dull greenish grey, 

 with dull purplish underlying shell-markings and dark brown 

 surface blotches and spots, and measure about 1 '62 by 1/21. 



HJEMATOPUS, Linn., 1766. 



1044. OYSTER-CATCHER. 

 ELffiMATOPUS OSTRALEGOJS. 



Hcematopus ostralegus, Linn. Syst. Nat. i. p. 257 (1766) ; Naiim. vii. 

 p. 325. Taf. 181 ; Hewitson, ii. p. 305, pi. Ixxx ; Gould, B. of E. 

 iv. pi. 300 ; id. B. of Gt. Brit pi. 45 ; Dresser, vii. p. 567, pi. 533 ; 

 Sharpe, Cat. B. Br. Mus. xxiv. p. 107 ; Blanf. F. Brit. Ind. Birds, 

 iv. p. 245 ; Saunders, p. 559 ; Lilford, v. p. 47, pi. 18 ; Poynting, 

 p. 75, pi. 18; H. osculans, Swinhoe, P.Z.S. 1871, p. 405 ; Sharpe, 

 op. cit. p. Ill ; Tacz. F. 0. Sib. 0. p. 843. 



Huitrier pie, French ; Ostraceiro, Portug. ; Ostrero, Span. ; 

 Beccaccia di mare, Ital. ; Austernfischer, German ; ScTwlekster, 

 Dutch ; Tjaldr, Icel. ; Strandskade, Dan. ; Kjeld i Norweg. ; 

 Strandskata, Swed. ; Cagan, Lapp. ; Rantaharakka, Piiski, Finn. ; 

 Morskaya-soroka, Sorotschai, Russ. ; Darya-gajpaon, Hindu. 



$ ad. (Sweden). Head, neck, and back deep black ; a small spot 

 under the eye, rump, upper tail-coverts, base of tail, under parts, and 

 under surface of wings white ; quills black, the inner webs margined with 

 white ; larger wing-coverts and some of the inner secondaries white ; tail 

 black on the terminal portion ; bill orange-red, becoming yellow at the 

 tip ; legs purplish flesh-red ; iris reddish ; edge of eyelid orange-red. 

 Culmen 2 '85, wing 9*6, tail 4*4, tarsus 1'9 inch. Sexes alike. In winter 

 the white spot under the eye is larger, and a white patch is on the throat. 



Hob. The whole of Europe, north to the Arctic Circle; 

 Iceland ; Greenland ; Africa, in winter south to Mozambique and 

 Senegambia ; Asia, east to Japan, north to Kamchatka, south in 

 winter to South China, India, and Ceylon. 



Frequents the sea shores, especially rocky parts, and is 

 comparatively seldom seen inland. Extremely shy and wary, it 

 starts off at the slightest sign of danger, uttering its clear, loud 

 whistle. It feeds on worms, limpets and other shell-fish, young 

 crabs, &c., and notwithstanding its name I know of no evidence 

 of its ever taking oysters. It breeds from the middle of April 

 to the latter part of May, and deposits its 3, occasionally 4, eggs 



