22Q OISTER-CATCHER. 



•white within : the lower part of the back, rump, bread, and un- 

 der parts, are white: tail white half way from the bale, the end 

 half black : legs dirty red : claws black. 



Birds have been feen with the end half of the bill black ; and 

 in others the white under the eye-lid and chin are both wanting : 

 the laft is alfo not unfrequently met with white, mottled with 

 black. 

 P m ACE AND ^ e Oift er - £atc her is pretty common in England; moft fo on 



the weflern fhores ; feeding on foell-fiflj, and in particular oifters 

 and limpets. On obferving anyone of the firft, which gapes wide 

 enough for the infertion of its bill, it thrufts it in, and takes out 

 the inhabitant : it will alfo force the limpets from their adhe- 

 fibn to the rocks with fufficient eafe. In turn feeds on marine 

 irJeEls and worms. In winter we often fee thefe birds in confi- 

 derable flocks 5 but they do not depart from us. In the fummer 

 are met with only in pairs, though chiefly in the neighbourhood 

 of the fea oxjalt rivers. The female lays four or five eggs, on the 

 bare ground, on the fhore, above high-water mark : they are of a 

 greenifti grey, blotched with black. The young are faid to be 

 hatched in about three weeks. Thefe birds are pretty wild 

 when in flocks, yet are eafily brought up tame, if taken young t- 

 1 have known them to be thus kept for a long time, frequenting 

 the ponds and ditches during the day, attending the ducks and 

 other poultry to fhelter of nights, and not unfrequently to come 

 up of themfelves as the evening approaches. Are known in fome 

 parts of England by the name of Sea-Pie, or Olivd 



This fpecies feems a general inhabitant ; being found in moft 

 parts of the old continent, and univerfally in the neighbourhood 

 of the fea. It is alfo fufficiently plenty throughout America^ 



from. 



