106 
FEEDING AND NESTLING. 
or twenty yards distant, and I was delighted to see the in- 
genuity with which they turned over the oyster-shells, 
clods of mud, and other small bodies left exposed by the 
retiring tide. Whenever the object was not too large, the 
bird bent its legs to half their length, placed its bill be- 
neath it, and with a sudden jerk of the head, pushed it off, 
"when it quickly picked ujd the food which was thus ex- 
posed to view, and walked deliberately to the next shell to 
perform the same operations. In several instances, when 
the clusters of oyster-shells, or clods of mud, were too 
heavy to be removed in the ordinary way, they would not 
only use the bill and head, but also the breast, pushing 
the object with all their strength, and reminding me of the 
labour which I have undergone in turning over a large 
turtle. Among the sea-weeds that had been cast on the 
shore, they used only the bill, tossing the garbage from 
side to side with a dexterity extremely pleasant to behold. 
In this manner I saw these four Turnstones examine almost 
every part of the shore along a space of from thirty to 
forty yards.' 
Tcmminck states that this bird * nestles in the north ; 
forms a slio^ht hollow in the sand of the shores, and lavs 
three or four eggs of a greyish olive or greenish colour, 
marked with brown sjoots.' It has never been found breed- 
ing in Britain, nor indeed has it been seen here in the 
summer months at all. Hewetson found its nests on the 
coasts of Norway, placed against ledges of rock, sheltered 
and concealed by juniper bushes ; he says, * we w^ere fre- 
quently led to the spot from a considerable distance by the 
extreme anxiety and pugnacity evinced by this bird in its 
bold attacks upon the larger sea fowl, especially Richard- 
son's Skua, the egg-devouring enemy of other sea birds.' 
The Pied Oyster Catcher. — This is a bird with many 
aliases ; it is called by Linna:us and other naturalists Ilccma- 
topus Ostralegus ; by more unlearned folk, the Sea Pie, 
Sea Pict, Pianet, Cholldrick, Trillachan, &c. With a 
remarkably long, and somewhat stout bill, rendered con- 
spicuous by its bright red colour ; purplish red legs and 
feet ; black and white tail ; and body black in the upper parts 
