ZOOLOGY. 233 



Family HAEMATOPODIDAE.— Th e Oyster Catchers. 

 HAEMATOPUS NIGER, Pallas. 



Baclimaii*s Oyster Catcher, 



Haematcjjtis nir/tr, Pallas, Zoog. Rosso- Asiat. II, 1811, 131. — Baird & Cassin, Gen. Eep. BirJa, 701. 

 Haemalapxts bachmuni, Aud. Oru. Biog. V. 1839, 245; pi. 427. — Ib. Syn. 229. — Ib. Birds Arner. V., 1842, 243; pi. 

 325.— TowNSESD, Narr. 1839, 348. 

 Sr. Cn — Bather smaller than the preceding ; hill r:ither more slender, wings long ; legs rohust ; tarsi covered with ovate 

 scales ; tail short. Head and iiecli hrownish black, with a glaucous or ashy tinge in very adult specimens. All other 

 parts of the plumage, aliove and below, dark l)rown, rather darkest on the rump ; bill bright red ; legs pale reddish, nearly 

 white. 

 Total length, about 17 inches ; wing, lOJ; tail, 4^ ; bill to gape, 3} : tarsus, 2 inches. 

 Eab. — Western coast of the United States. Kurile islands, (Pallas.) 



Bachman's oyster catcher was obtained by Dr. Townsend from the northwest coast, having 

 been presented to him by William Eraser Tolmie, esq., at that time surgeon to the honorable 

 Hudson Bay Comijany, and at present a chief factor and "resident partner" in that wealthy 

 corporation. 



Dr. Tolmies' kindness and interest in furthering the wishes of naturalists both of this country 

 and of Europe have been already mentioned by mo in my notes on the TricJias 3fcGillivrayi. 



Oyster catchers are common in the Rocky islands and points near Victoria, Vancouver's Island, 

 and upon the Rock islands and reefs of the Canal d'Arro and the Straits of Fuca. I have not 

 yet succeeded in obtaining specimens, but have been promised some by friends residing in that 

 vicinity. — S. 



I cannot be certain that the above species inhabits the. Territory, as the description appears 

 to difier from those observed there by Mr. Gibbs and myself in having jxtfe red, instead of blood 

 red legs. 



The only locality where I have seen the oyster catcher is the northern shore of Whidby's 

 island, at the Straits of De Fuca. A single one frequented that place in April, feeding among 

 the sea weeds on a rocky shore, which are so nearly like it in color that it can with difficulty 

 be seen at a little distance. This bird was very shy, and I could get no chance to shoot it. On 

 the opposite shores of Vancouver's Island I heard that they were abundant in summer. 



When flying over the water from one point to another it makes a wide semi-circle, keeping 

 far from the shore. On starting it utters a loud whistling ciy. — C. 



STREPSILAS INTERPRES, (Linn.) 111. 



Turns tone. 



TVinga interpns, Lin.n. Syst. Nat. 1, 1766, 248.— WiLS. Am. Orn. TII, 1813, 32 ; pi. Ivii. 



Sirepsilas inierpres, Illiger, Prod. 1811, 263.— Sw. F. Bor. Am. II, 1831, 371.— Nutt. II, 30.— Aud. Orn. Biog. IV, 



1838, 31 ; pi. 304.— Ib. Syn. 227.— lu. Birds Amer. V, 1842, 231 ; pi. 323.— Baikd & 



Cassin, Gen. Rep. Birds, 701. 



FiGTOES.— Buff. PI. Enl. 856.— Vleill. Gal. II, pi. 237.— Wilson, Am. Orn. Vll, pi. 57, fig. 1.— Aud. B. of Am. pi. 304 ; oct. 

 ed. V, pi. 323. 



Sp. Ch. — Upper parts rather irregularly variegated with black, dark rufous, and white. Head and neck above generally 

 ■white, with numerous spots and stripes of brovmish black on the crown and occiput ; space in front of the eye white, usually 

 surrounded with black; throat white, on each side of which is a stripe of black running from the base of the bill down- 

 wards and joining a large space of the same color (black) on the neck and breast. Abdomen, under wing coverts, under tail 



30 Q 



