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Genus ELEMATOPUS. 



Ostralega apud Brisson, Orn. v. p. 38 (1760). 



Hcemdtqpus, Linnaeus, Syst. Nat. i. p. 257 (1766). 



Ostralegus apud Macgillivray, Man. Brit. Orn. ii. p. 59 (1842). 



The Oystercatchers inhabit the Paltearctic, Ethiopian, Oriental, Australian, Nearctic, and Neo- 

 tropical Regions, one species only being found in the Western Pakearctic Eegion. They, like 

 the Turnstones, are inhabitants of the sea-coast, though they are occasionally seen on the shores 

 of inland sheets of water. They are shy and wary; and at the least appearance of danger they 

 fly off and circle round well out of range, uttering their loud alarm-note. They run swiftly or 

 stalk unconcernedly about along the shore, picking up their food here and there. They feed on 

 marine animals of various kinds, small shell-fish, snails, slugs, and worms ; and they usually 

 swallow small particles of gravel to assist in the digestion of their food. Their flight is swift 

 and powerful ; and the wings are frequently moved with a quick tremulous motion. Usually 

 they do not fly at a great height and in wide circles; and their call-note, which is generally uttered 

 when the bird is on the wing, is a clear, loud whistle. They breed on the sea-coast, their nest 

 being a hollow in the gravel and stones just above high water-mark, sparingly lined with a few 

 straws ; and their eggs, four in number, are stone-buff, blotched and spotted with purplish grey 

 and blackish brown. 



Hcematopus ostralegus, the type of the genus, has the bill long, bent upwards on the terminal 

 half, about as high as broad at the base, peculiarly attenuated, wedge-shaped, tapering to a point 

 when viewed vertically, and when viewed laterally contracted from the base nearly to the middle, 

 then enlarged, and gradually sloping, but not forming a point ; nasal groove extending beyond the 

 centre of the bill ; nostrils linear, subbasal ; wings long, pointed, the first quill longest ; tail 

 rather short, nearly even ; legs moderately long, stout ; tibia bare for a short distance ; tarsus 

 covered with hexagonal scales; toes three in number, rather short, stout, with thick, broad 

 margins, the outer and middle toes united at the base ; claws small, slightly curved, obtuse. 



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