PLUVIALINiE. OSTRALEGUS. 
59 
stomach large, oblong, with radiated tendons, and distinct 
strong lateral muscles, the epithelium dense, rather thin, with 
prominent rugm ; intestine rather slender, of moderate 
length, with two rather long cylindrical coeca ; the cloaca 
'globular or elliptical. Nostrils linear, subbasal, direct. 
Eyes of moderate size, eyelids feathered. Aperture of ear 
transversely oblong, very small. Legs long and stout ; tibia 
bare for about a third ; tarsus compressed, covered with hexa- 
gonal scales, the anterior larger ; toes three, spreading, short, 
depressed, broadly margined, scutellate ; the inner shortest, 
the outer and middle with the margins dilated and united 
at the base, so as to form a short web, the middle and inner 
with a much smaller web ; claws very small, very slightly 
arched, narrow, obtuse. Plumage soft, blended, somewhat 
distinct and compact on the back : the feathers ovate, or 
lanceolate ; wings long, acute, with thirty quills ; primaries 
with very strong shafts, the first longest ; outer secondaries 
short, obliquely rounded, inner tapering and very elongated * 
tail rather short, nearly even, of twelve broad rounded fea- 
thers. 
The bill in all the species of this genus is of an attenu- 
ated wedge-like form at the end, whereas in the young 
which have not used it, the tip is not compressed, and the up- 
per mandible is a little longer than the lower. The species 
are few, and greatly resemble each other, not only in form, 
but also in size and colouring. The bill is always red, and 
the plumage black and white, or of the former colour alone. 
One or other of the species is found in almost every known 
country. They reside on the shores, and feed on mollusca 
and Crustacea. Ostralegus, although translated Oyster- 
catcher, ought to be Englished by Shell-gatherer ; nor is 
there the slightest reason to believe that these birds eat 
oysters. A single species occurs in Britain. 
175 . Ostralegus PLematopus. Pied Oyster-catcher. 
Bill vermilion, feet pale purplish-red ; head, neck, fore 
part of back, wings, and terminal half of tail black ; the rest 
white ; generally on each side of the neck an obscure white 
mark behind the ears, and in some individuals a white band 
across the neck, while in others there are no white marks on 
