Oedee LIMICOL^.] 
[Fam. CHAEADEIID^., 
HJIMATOPUS LONGIEOSTEIS. 
(PIED OYSTER-CATCHER.) 
Ilmmato'pm longirostris, Vieill. Nouv. Diet. d’Hist. Nat. xv. p. 410 (1817). 
Hcematopus picatus. Vigors, App. King’s Voy. p. 420 (1834). 
H(Bmatopus australasianus, Gould, P. Z. S. 1837, p. 155. 
Native names. — Torea and Torea-tai. 
Ad. supra niger, dorso postico et uropyglo cum supracaudalibus albis, bis nigro notatis : tectricibus alarum 
majoribus conspicue albo terminatis, fasciam verticalem formantibus : remigibus brunnescenti-nigris, scapis 
biunneis : cauda nigra, rectricibus versbs basin albis: gutture toto et pectore superiore nigris, illo paullo 
brunnescente : corpore reliquo subtbs albo, subalaribus marginalibus nigris : rostro apice flavo cruentato : 
pedibus cruentatis : iride coccine4. 
Adult. Head, neck, and fore part of breast, mantle, scapulars, and upper surface of wings and tail shining 
black, glossed with green in certain lights ; back, rump, lower part of breast, and all the under surface pure 
white ; the secondaries and their coverts crossed by a broad band of white, which is very conspicuous when 
the wings are spread ; the axillary plumes and the inner lining of wings pure white, the edges of the latter 
mottled with dusky black. In some examples the dark plumage is sharply defined against the white of the 
lower parts by a line crossing the breast just above the insertion of the wings ; in others the line of demar- 
cation is broken by scattered fringes of white intermixed with the black. Irides and eyelids crimson ; bill 
dark arterial red, changing to coral-red towards the tips of both mandibles, which are yellow; legs dark 
arterial red. Length 18 inches ; wing, from flexure, lO'S ; tail 4-2o ; bill, along the ridge 3-6, along the 
edge of lower mandible 3- 75 ; bare tibia 1 ; tarsus 2; middle toe and claw 1'6. 
Obs. The sexes are alike in plumage, but the male is somewhat larger than the female. 
Young. In a fledgling I find that the distribution of the colours is the same as in the adult. The white of the 
underparts is sufficiently although not sharply defined against the dark plumage of the breast, and the 
blackish-brown down of the upper parts is giving place to black feathers with dull brown margins ; the 
lower part of the back, rump, and upper tail-coverts white, with some obscure greyish markings ; tail- 
feathers black, with long, straggling filaments of down still adhering to their extremities ; alar white mark 
quite conspicuous. Bill blackish brown, changing to reddish towards the base of lower mandible; legs and 
feet reddish brown. In another from the same nest, but in a more downy condition, the crown, sides of 
the head, and fore neck are lighter, being mottled with grey, whilst the lower part of back, rump, and upper 
tail-coverts are obscurely barred all over with blackish brown. 
1 ounger state. Uniform dull black strongly tinged with brown especially on the entire upper surface, the wino-- 
coverts very minutely and the secondaries more largely tipped with fulvous brown. Irides dark brown, with 
a reddish eyelid ; bill dull orange-red at the base and on the rictal membrane, passing into reddish olive in 
the middle portion and shading into brown towards the tips of both mandibles ; legs and feet leaden grey 
Enlargement under tarsal joint very conspicuous. 
More advanced state. Plumage as in the adult, but with the dark plumage more or less suffused with brown the 
white of the underparts less pure, and the pectoral line of demarcation somewhat broken or indeterminate • 
the axillary plumes and under tail-coverts irregularly margined and broadly tipped with dusky black ; rump 
