116 
PRiECOCIAL GRALLATORES — LIMICOL/E. 
Hcematopus niger. 
BLACK OYSTER CATCHER. 
Hcematopus niger, Pall. Zoog. Piosso-As. II. 1831, 131. — Baird, Birds N. Am. 1858, 700; Cat. 
1ST. Am. B. 1859, no. 513. — Couf.s, Key, 1872, 246 ; Check List, 1873, no. 405 ; 2d ed. 1882, no. 
597 — Ridgw. Norn. N. Am. B. 1882, no. 508. 
Hcematopus Bachmani, Aui>. Orn. Biog. V. 1839, 245, pi. 427 ; Synop. 1839, 229 ; Birds Am. V. 1842, 
243, pi. 325. — Towns. Nan-. 1839, 348. 
IIab. Pacific coast of North America, as for south as Lower California ; breeding south to 
Santa Cruz, California. Kurile Islands. 
Sp. Char. Aclult: Head, neck, and juguluni black, with more or less of a plumbeous cast; 
rest ot the plumage uniform blackish brown. “Bill vermilion, fading to yellow on the worn parts 
toward the end. Edges of eyelids vermilion ; iris yellow. Feet white, slightly tinged with flesh- 
color ; claws yellowish, toward the end dusky ” (Audubon). 
Wing, 9.60-10.75 ; culmen, 2.50-2.95 ; greatest depth of bill (forward of nostril), ,45-.52 ; tar- 
sus, 1.85-2.25 ; middle toe, 1.30-1.65. 
There is no very young specimen of 11. niger in the collection ; but a very young example of 
the southern form (var. ater) from Tierra del Fuego (No. 15484) is wholly dusky blackish, each 
feather, above and below, except on the head and neck, tipped with a narrow bar of pale ochra- 
ceous. This character of immaturity is indicated in several of the specimens of II. niger in the 
collection by the presence of a few whitish narrow bars on the abdomen. One example, still 
younger (No. 28009, Straits of Fuca), has some of the wing-coverts narrowly and indistinctly 
tipped with ocliraceous, and the bill is yellowish horn-color, except on the basal portion. 
This species, first made known as a North American bird by Townsend, was called 
by Audubon Bachman’s Oyster Catcher. It had been previously described by Pallas 
as belonging to Northeastern Asia and the surrounding islands. Mr. Townsend men- 
tions having found it abundant along the whole of our northwest coast, as well as 
in Kegent’s Sound. The specimens mentioned by these authors were shot in June, 
1836. Other specimens have since been taken in Alaska, at San Miguel Island, 
Sitka, Kadiak, in California, and elsewhere. 
Mr. K. Browne (Ibis, 1868) states that this species, though not a common bird in 
the southern portion of Vancouver Island, is quite abundant at the northern end, 
and very plentiful about Queen Charlotte Islands. In March, 1866, while rowing 
along the narrow sounds among these islands, he often met with it. It was by no 
