100 ORALLY. 



in its motions. The wings are long and pointed, and the tail 

 is longer and more square at the extremity than that of pny 

 other of the three-toed grallse. The outlines are finely 

 curved, and the whole plumage is close and compact, glossy 

 on the upper part, not easily wetted or ruffled, and bearing a 

 very great resemblance to that of the swimming birds. The 

 birds can, indeed, swim easily, and without any injury to 

 their plumage, even when the water is in considerable agita- 

 tion ; but swimming is not their general habit. 



Their general colours are black and white ; but there are 

 occasional differences in the markings, and the black is some- 

 times blended with brown, dusky brown being the general 

 tint of the dark parts of the young. 



The perfect plumage is generally, the head, neck, upper 

 part of the back, the scapulars and lesser coverts of the 

 wings, the quills, except portions of the inner webs, and a 

 portion of the tips of the tail-feathers, black. The lower 

 part of the back, the greater coverts of the wings, the tips of 

 the row immediately over these, the rump, breast, under 

 parts, and base of the tail, and also a small spot under the 

 eye, white. There is also sometimes a crescent-shaped 

 gorget, wholly white, or mottled with white, on the lower 

 part of the neck in front, but that marking is peculiar to the 

 adult in winter. 



The young have the upper plumage dusky, with brown 

 margins ; the orbits and irides brown, and the feet blackish 

 grey ; but these change with the mature plumage, the feet to 

 orange red, the orbits to orange, and the irides to crimson. 



The shores of the sea are the proper haunts of the oyster- 

 catchers. They are found only upon these in the winter, and 

 when the situation is sequestered enough, they remain there 

 to breed, giving preference to any lonely sandy islet near 

 those shores upon which they find plenty of food. But some 

 retire inland in breeding-time, though they never resort to 



