( 5° ) 



ORD. I. GENUS VIII. OYSTER-CATCHER. 



Bill, long, comprefTed, the end cuneated. 

 Nostrils, linear. 



Tongue, fcarcely a third of the length of the bill. 



Toes, three, all forward ; the middle joined to the outer by a ftrong mem- 

 brane. 



SPECIES I. PIED OYSTER-CATCHER. 

 PI. 189. 



Hsematopus oftralegus. Lin. Syft. I. p. 257. 

 L'Huitrier. Brif. Orn. V. p. 38. 



This bird is about the fize of a crow : its length feventeen inches, weight 

 fixteen ounces. The bill is three inches long j its colour, as well as that of the 

 eyes, and legs, red: the breaft, under parts of the body, bafe half of the tail, 

 and lower part of the back, are white : there is alfo a bar of white acrofs the 

 wing: the reft of the plumage is black, except a mark of white on the under 

 eyelid, and a crefcent under the throat of the fame, though in fome birds both 

 thefe marks are wanting. From this black and white plumage, and its conti- 

 nual (harp and quick cry, it is often called the fea-pie. In fome places it is 

 known by the name of olive. 



There are few of our mores, on which this bird is not found at times; but 

 it is faid to be moft common on the weftern. It feeds chiefly on oyfters, 

 which it is very dexterous at catching, and limpets, which its bill is well con- 

 trived to feparate from the rocks. In the winter it congregates in flocks. 



The female lays four or five eggs, on the fnore, juft above high-water mark. 

 For the egg fee PI. XLI. Fig. 1. 



In our figure of the bird there is a membrane between the middle and inner 

 toe of the right foot, by miftake of the engraver. 





