BIRDS OF THE UNITED STATES. 
277 
Plate XL VII. 
HT:MAT0PUS palliates, Temm. 
American Oystercatcher. 
Essentially a marine species, the Oystercatcher is never found 
inland, but abounds along the Atlantic coast of the United States from 
Maine to Florida, where, in summer, small parties of two or three pairs 
may be seen together in any given locality, but more especially from New 
Jersey southward. On the shores of New England, according to Samuels, 
it is of rare occurrence during the breeding-season. It is, however, in the 
Bahamas, a group of islands situated but a short distance from our Flori- 
dan peninsula, and in the Greater Antilles, that we meet with them in 
great abundance, frequenting the beaches or small sand-bars, when exposed 
at low tide. Cory found them common enough on Andros Island in Jan- 
uary, and quite unsuspicious ; hut in June, at Inagua, only a few were 
observed, and no eggs taken. But for all this the birds are known to 
breed in the Bahama Islands, as evidenced by the published observations 
of Dr. Bryant. 
Appearing along our coast from the twentieth to the last of April, 
they manifest considerable timidity, and instantly take to flight when ap- 
proached by man. Their vigilance is remarkable, and is seldom relaxed, 
not even while engaged in earnest pursuit of food. While walking along 
the shore in a dignifled manner, with heads turned away, first this side 
and then that, they do not seem at all impressed with the business before 
them. But we must not delude ourselves with this idea. Like most of 
their brethren, when oppressed and iiersecuted by man, they have culti- 
vated the habit of dividing their attention, and most admirably do they 
