OYSTER-CATCHERS 



(286) Haematopus palliatus 



Temm (Gr., red-footed; Lat., a cloak). 



OYSTER-CATCHER. Large and 

 stocky. Bill long, heavy and com- 

 pressed toward the tip which is al- 

 most like a knife blade; bright red. 

 Legs stout, coarse and flesh-colored; 

 three-toed. Ads. — Plumage as 

 shown, the back being brownish 

 while the head and neck are dead 

 black; base of tail and part of coverts 

 white. Im. — Head and neck brown- 

 ish and feathers of back with buff 

 edges. L., 20.00; W., 10.25; Tar., 

 2.40; B., 3.50. Eggs — Three or 

 four, buffy, evenly spotted with 

 black, 2.20 X 1.55; laid on beaches. 



Range — Breeds from Va. and the 

 Gulf coast southward. 



(28s) EUROPEAN OYSTER - 

 CATCHER (H. ostralegus) is oc- 

 casionally found in Greenland. 



from their habits of turning over shells, small turfs, stones, 

 etc., to get the insects, worms and minute shellfish usually 

 to be found there. They sometimes tackle objects that 

 require all their strength to pry over, and do not get dis- 

 gruntled even if they are unable to, but unconcernedly walk 

 to the next likely one. They are rather more deliberate in 

 their actions than other plover, but they have the usual habit 

 of running a few steps, then stopping short and standing 

 erect to look about them.' They frequent bold and rocky 

 shores fully as often as sandy beaches. 



Family H^.MATOPODID.E. Oyster-Catchers 



A small but remarkable Family of large waders, contain- 

 ing about a dozen species distributed over the globe, one of 

 which breeds along our South Atlantic and Gulf coasts. 

 Aside from their large size, their chief claim to distinction 

 is in the long, large, bright red bill, the end of which is com- 

 pressed so as to be thin as a knife blade. This peculiar tool 

 is used for cleaving open mussels and other bivalves (but not 



175 



