THE OYSTERCATCHER. 
377 
doubt be found along tbe whole coast of Pegu and Tenasserim. I killed 
one specimen at Kyeikpadein in September in a paddy-field. 
It is found almost throughout the entire globe. In the tropical portions 
it is as a rule a winter visitor only ; but Mr. Parker [1. c.) observed them 
in Ceylon in June. 
The Turnstone frequents the sea-coast and especially those shores which 
are rocky. It feeds on small crustaceans and marine worms^ in searching 
for which it is said to turn over stones and shells^ hence its trivial name. 
It breeds in northern climates^, laying four eggs on the ground under 
shelter of a stone or bush. 
Genus H^MATOPUS, Linn. 
724. H^MATOPUS OSTRALEOUS. 
THE OYSTERCATCHER. 
Hasmatopus ostralegus, Linn. Syst Nat. i. p. 2-57 ; Jerd. B. Ind. ii. p. 659 ; Hume, 
S. F. i. p. 234 ; Bl. B. Bunn. p. 154 ; Dresser, Birds Eur. vii. p. 567 ; Hume, 
S. F. viii. p. 112 ; Legge, Birds Ceylon, p. 987. Hsematopus osculans, 
Sioirih. P. Z. S. 1871, p. 405 ; Salvad. Ucc. Born. p. 321 ; David et Oust. Ois. 
Chine, p. 432. 
Description. — Male and female in summer. The whole head^ neck all 
round; upper breast^ back^ lesser and median wing-covert s^ primary-coverts^ 
tertiaries and scapulars black; a small mark under the eye white; tail 
white on the basal half^ black on the terminal ; edge of the wing and 
greater coverts white ; primaries blacky about an inch of the shaft of each 
feather near the tip white, the inner webs broadly edged with white at the 
base^ the outer webs except those of the first five with an oval white streak ; 
the earlier secondaries black edged with white, the later ones entirely 
white; tail-coverts white tipped with black; lower back, rump, lower 
breast, abdomen, vent, under tail-coverts, sides of the body, axillaries and 
under wing-coverts pure white. 
Male and female in winter. Similar to birds in summer, but with a large 
crescentic white patch on the throat. 
Young birds are similar to the adults in general appearance, but have 
the back and wings margined with brown, and they do not assume the white 
throat-band during their first winter. 
Bill orange-red at the base, becoming yellow towards the tip ; iris rich 
