OYSTER-CATCHER. 359 



the outer ones white on the exterior margins, and about one inch 

 shorter than the prime ones ; all the under parts from the breast, 

 the under wing coverts, upper and under tail coverts, white; some of 

 the latter nearly as long as the tail, which is four inches in length ; 

 from the base to the middle white, from thence to the end dusky, 

 the feathers having more white in them as they are more outward ; 

 legs red. 



The above was described to me by Mr. Abbot, of Savannah, in 

 Georgia, near which he met with a specimen, and it appeared to 

 him as a new species. M. Temminck mentions a bird which we 

 take to be this, under the name of Haematopus palliatus.* 



4 —NEW-HOLLAND OYSTER-CATCHER. 



LENGTH thirty-two inches. Bill more than six inches long, 

 red, and shaped as in our Species ; nostrils pervious ; irides reddish 

 blue; eyelids red; the whole head and neck, as far as the breast, 

 the beginning of the back, and the wings, deep dusky brown ; breast, 

 belly, thighs, lower part of the back, and rump, white ; tail half 

 white half black; legs dusky flesh-colour, in very old birds red; 

 the wings reach nearly to the end of the tail ; the lesser wing coverts 

 margined with ferruginous, with some mixture of white about the 

 middle. 



Inhabits New-Holland : is a solitary bird, being only found in 

 pairs at any time; has a simple, plaintive note, which it never varies; 

 frequents the sea shores, living on spawn, and young fish, also shell 

 fish; from which it becomes generally very fat, though not agreeable 

 for food, on account of the oily, or fishy flavour. The flesh and fat 

 are both high-coloured, especially the latter. Native name Boo- 

 aning; called by the English the Red Bill. In some birds the 

 plumage is wholly black, where in others it is dusky brown, with a 

 conspicuous white bar across the middle of the wing. 



* See Manuel, 2d. Ed. p. 532. 



