OYSTER CATCHER. 
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approach -within shot, sounding their shrill whistle 
on the approach of an enemy, and flying off in 
small parties at a time ; single birds may, however, 
be called within reach, and if one is killed, the flock 
or party will turn and hover over it, uttering their 
cries during the while. As stated, they feed at low 
water, resting during the height of the tides, and 
equally so if the change is during the night. When 
residing on a coast where they were abundant, we 
have often, at night, been able to distinguish the 
state of the tide, from the whistle of the Oyster 
Catcher passing to its feeding grounds. Though 
their chief haunts are the shores of the sea, they are 
also occasionally seen inland by the course of rivers. 
This appears more prevalent as we reach the north, 
where, however, the land is often much cut up by 
bays and arms of the sea, along which they also 
stretch. Professor Fleming has mentioned, that 
they breed on islands in the Tummel in Perthshire, 
where we have ourselves seen them. Mr. Thomas 
Grant of Edinburgh, as quoted by Mr. Yarrell, 
states, “ that they regularly migrate to the interior 
of the north-eastern counties to breed.” We have 
also seen the Oyster Catcher on the river Tweed, as 
high up as Dryburgh. On the English rivers it is 
sometimes killed far inland, but only as a stray 
visitant, and not breeding. They incubate upon the 
ground, generally in pairs, but in some instances in, 
as it were, a common breeding place ; little nest is 
made, but the eggs are laid in some hollow in the 
sand or shingle ; in one or two instances we have 
