100 A CATALOGUE OF THE BIKDS 



one stilling a dozen ; and, as this price cannot pay for gathering 

 them, the supply soon ceases, and the hirds are left to rear their 

 broods in peace and comparative safety. 



103. HJ5MAT0PUS, Linnceus. 



10. OySTEECATCHEK. H. OSTEALEGTJS, LimiCCUS. 



Samatopus ostralegus, Bewick, Hist. Brit. Biixls, Ed. 1847, 

 II., 9. 



„ Yarrell, Hist. Brit. Birds, Ed. 2, 11. , 



496. 



This is a resident in the district, and is abundant by our sea 

 shore, breeding on the Earne Islands, and on the beach of the 

 adjacent main land. It appears in flocks during the autumn and 

 winter months, but is rarely seen far from the coast. 



104. STREPSILAS, Illlger. 



11. Ttjenstone. S. inteepees, {Linnmis.) 



Strepsilas collaris, Bewick, Hist. Brit. Birds, Ed. 1847, II., 

 25, 27. 

 ,, interpres, Yan-ell, Hist. Brit. Bii'ds, Ed. 2, II., 486. 



A common autumn or winter migrant, reaching our coast in 

 September, and remaining throughout winter. I hare a speci- 

 men shot on the coast of Northumberland as late as the middle 

 of May. 



This species breeds late. "We took its eggs on the ISTorwegian 

 coast, in 1833, on the 14th of June. It has been said to breed 

 on the Farnc Islands (Harting's Handbook of British Birds, p. 

 44). I am not in any way cognisant of the eggs occurring in 

 that locality, and it seems to mc that the instances mentioned 

 arc not sufficiently authenticated. 



I have a specimen, killed on the 3rd of June, 1847, at liamp- 

 sidc, Lancashire, in full summer plumage, but it has not the 

 bare spaces which are s(M'n on the breast of a sitting bird. 



