THE OYSTER-CATCHEE. 
241 
genus of this family^ with their strong and rather long 
oyster-knived beak, and shortish, strong legs, of a bright- 
yellow or red colour. The visitor to Shetland, or to many 
other parts of our sea-coasts, cannot fail to observe our 
lively black-and-white-plumaged oyster-catcher ^^paidling^^ 
on the shore, and flying close to the water from one island 
to another, or across a sound three or four miles wide. Mr. 
Gould describes a sooty-black species from Yan Diemen^s 
Land and the south coast of Australia {H, fuliginosus) , 
which he regards as distinct from the black species found 
at the Cape of Good Hope and Cape Horn ; so that the 
species of the genus, like most aquatic birds, are widely 
dispersed. The White-breasted Oyster-catcher {H. longi- 
Tostris) is more nearly allied in appearance to our species, 
and resembles it in its habit of frequenting low muddy flats, 
under the influence of the tide j where, when the tide has 
retired, it picks up molluscs, crabs, and other creatures 
stranded there"^. During the breeding season, Mr. Gould 
observed that it resorted to small islands and rocky capes, 
for the purpose of rearing its young. These are soon capa- 
ble of running, and are very cautious birds, secreting them- 
selves, when alarmed, behind a stone, or in a crevice, where 
^ Gould's ' Birds of Australia/ vol. vi. 
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