H^MATOPUS PALLIATVS. 365 



The Piping Plovers arrive from the North in May, the eggs are deposited early in 

 June, :md the young run at birth, sinmtting on the naked sand when they percehe an in- 

 truder or are warned to do so by some peculiar note of their parents who, solicitous lor the, 

 safety of their oil-spring, are constantly on the lookout lor enemies. The little Plovers soon 

 learn to vise their wings, however, and fly well by the middle of July, then all migrate to 

 the South during the latter part of August, passing the winter on Key West, in company 

 with the preceding species. Contrary to my expectations, I found the Piping Plovers 

 breeding in great numbers on the Magdalen Islands, n -sting on the long sand spits or a- 

 inon the dunes. 



FAMILY II. IL-EMATOPODID^E. THE OYSTER CATCHERS, ETC. 



BUI, at least as long as head, compressed throughout, and hard at tip. Hind toe, 

 absent or small. Keel, not equal in height to the width of the sternum. Marginal indenta- 

 tions, four. 



These birds are A'ery stout, with well-rounded bodies and short legs. The head is not 

 very large and the neck short. The creca are very long. Sterno-trachealis, present but 

 there are no other prominent laryngeal muscles. Tympaniform membrane present as well 

 as os transversale, but there is no semilunar membrane. 



GEXrs I. II.-EMATOPrS. THE OYSTER CATCHERS. 



GEX. On. Bill, much lonyer than head and compressed laterally at tip. Hind toe, absent. Stomach, not muscular. 

 Fxrrula, welt arched. 



.M.'inli.'r- of this ;_"'im~ have the inner marginal indentations slightly deeper than outer. Sexes similar. There is but 

 one species within our limits. 



ELZEMATOPTJS PALLIATUS. 



Oyster Catcher. 

 Htnnatopus patliaitts TK.V.M., Man., II; 1820, 533. 



DESCRIPTION. 



SP. Cir. Form, robust. Size, large. Bill, twice as long as head. Sternum, stout. Tongue, thin, wideat base, nnr- 

 rowin<; tuwurd tip which is rounded. 



GH.OR. Adult. Head and neck all around, black. Above, reddish-brown. Upper tail coverts, lower surface ofbody, 

 sput <>n lower eyelid, tips of greater wing cuverts, and secondaries, white, with large elongated spots of brown on M-minal 

 portion of featliers of latter. 



Yauny. Similar to the adult, but the feathers above are edged with white. Iris, brown, bill and eyelid, carmine, 

 and feet, pinkish, in all star>. 



OBSERVATIONS. 



Readily known by the large *ize, absence of the hind toe, and long, compr<-e<l bill. Distributed, as a summer resi- 

 dent, along the Eastern coast as far north as New Jersey, wintering from the Carolina-!, southward. 



DIMENSIONS. 



Average measurements of specimens from Florida. I,ciiL'th. IS -'ill; stretch, 34 -50; wins, lO'OO; tail. 3'98; bill, 3'35; 

 tarsus, 2-30. Longest specimen, 19-00; greatest extent of win:;, :!.V(H>: longest wing, UV-JO; toil, 4' ID; bill, 3-60; tarsus, 

 d- 10. Shortest specimen, 18 00; smallest extent of wing, 3TOO; shortest wing, 9'60; tail, 3'75; bill, 3'IO; tarsus, 2-JO. 



DESCRIPTION OF NESTS AND EU<JS. 



fygs, placed on the ground in a hollow scratched in the soil, with a little grass, etc.; two to four in number, rather oval 

 in form, creamy or even white in color, spotted and blotched irregularly with brown of varying shades. Dimensions from 

 1 50x2-15 to 1 55x2-35. 



