THE OYSTEE-CATCHEE. 101 



the dry moors, or to places at a distance from rivers, as is 

 the case with some of the other genera which frequent the 

 same shores in the winter. The inland places where they 

 are the most likely to be found, are near the confluence of 

 rivers, where these deposit banks and islands, and bring 

 down animal matters, and leave them there. Fresh-water 

 muscles are said to attract them ; but in the inland places, 

 they eat the smaller -shelled mollusca, as well as slugs, 

 earth-worms, and various small animals tenanting humid 

 places. 



The inland-breeding birds find their way to the nesting- 

 places in pairs, so that they are little observed. It is pro- 

 bable also that they keep to the lines of the rivers, and feed 

 along the retired banks in the reaches ; and as, when they 

 are on the breeding-ground, they do not range far or appear 

 much on the wing, the numbers that breed inland may be 

 greater than is commonly supposed. 



Wherever they breed, Ihe oyster-catchers make no formal 

 nest. They deposit their eggs, which are always four in 

 number, on the bare dry surface, though generally in the 

 shelter of a tuft. The eggs are pale olive-brown with dusky 

 patches, and when the full number are found, they are always 

 arranged in cruciform order, with two and two opposite, and 

 the small ends approaching each other equally in the centre. 

 The female sits closely during the night, and when it rains ; 

 and while she sits, the male is always near, ready to scream 

 and fly off on the appearance of danger. The female also 

 makes off, by running to some distance, at first crouching, 

 and then erect ; after which, she also takes to wing, and the 

 two fly clamouring about till the danger is past. On warm 

 days the female leaves the nest to feed. The incubation lasts 

 about three weeks, and the young are covered with down. 

 They walk with some difficulty immediately on coming out 



