BIRDS — ^HAEMATOPODIDAE — HAEMATOPUS PALLIATUS. 699 



Family HAEMATOPODIDAE. 



The Haematopodidae, as characterized on a preceding page, includes but two North American 

 genera — Haematopus and Strepsilas. Aphriza, by some placed with them, appear more 

 properly to belong with the Oharadridae. 



The genera are readily distinguished as follows : 



Haematopus. — Size large. Bill longer than the tarsus ; much compressed. Hind toe 

 wanting. Tarsus reticulated anteriorly. Middle and outer toes connected at base. 



Strepsilas. — Size median. Bill shorter than the tarsus, which is scutellate anteriorly. Hind 

 toe present. No basal membrane to the anterior toes. 



HAEMATOPUS, Linn. 



Haematopus, Linn. Syst. Nat. 1735. Type H. ostralegus, L. 

 Ch. — Bill longer than the leg, twice as long as the head. Mandibles much compressed, sharp edged, and truncate at end 

 Hind toe wanting. Legs reticulated, with five or six elongated plates in a transverse series. Meshes larger anteriorly. A 

 basal membrane between middle and outer toes. Toes enlarged laterally by a thickened membrane. Tail even. First 

 primary longest. 



HAEMATOPUS PALLIATUS, Temm. 



Oyster Catcher. 



Haematopus palliatus, Temm. Man. II, 1820, 532.— Add. Orn. Biog. Ill, 1835, 181 : V, 580; pi. 223.— Ib. Syn. 



228.— Ib. Birds Amer. V, 1842, 236; pi. 324. 

 Haematopus ostralegus, Wils. Am. Orn. VIII, 1814, 15 ; pi. Ixiv. (Not of Linnaeus.) 

 Haematopus arcticus, Jard. ed. Wila. Ill, 1832, 35. 

 Haematopus hypohucus, Pallas, Zoog. Rosso-As. II, 1811, 129. 



Sp. Ch.— Bill long, straight, flattened vertically ; wing long; tail short; legs moderate, rather robust; toes margined; 

 outer and middle united at base. Head and neck brownish black, with a slight ashy tinge in very mature specimens. Upper 

 parts of body light ashy brown, rather darker on the rump. Upper tail coverts and wide diagonal band across the wing 

 white . Quills brownish black ; tail feathers at base white, with their terminating half brownish black . Under parts of body 

 and under wing coverts white. Bill and edge of eyelids bright orange red. Legs pale reddish. 



Total length, about 17| inches ; wing, 10 ; tail, 4J ; bill to gape, 3J ; tarsus, 2^ inches. 



Hah .—Coast of the A tlantic ocean . States on the Pacific ? Florida, (Dr. Wall . ) 



Between specimens obtained, in winter, in New Jersey, and European specimens stated to be 

 also in the plumage of winter, there is certainly a very strong similarity, and, unfortunately, 

 the comparison^ of naturalists have apparently been made only from specimens of the two 

 continents, representing plumages of quite different seasons. Were it not so, we suspect that 

 there would be some difficulty in distinguishing the American E. palliatus from the European 

 H. ostralegus. 



There is no bird amongst the Waders at present the changes of the plumage of which may 

 be studied with greater interest than the bird now before us. The only plumage known to us, 

 and, as far as we can ascertain, to our cotemporaries, iri American ornithology, is that 

 described above, with the 'upper parts of the body light brown. By analogy with its near 

 relativa of Europe our bird has, however, very probably much darker plumage in summer, 



