228 
CHARADRIIN^. H^MATOPUS. 
GENUS IV. H^MATOPUS. OYSTER-CATCHER. 
Bill long, slender, straight, or slightly recurvate, higher 
than broad at the base, extremely compressed toward the 
end ; upper mandible with the dorsal line straight and 
slightly sloping at the base, somewhat convex beyond the 
nostrils, then straight and sloping to the point, the ridge 
broad and flattened as far as the prominence, afterwards 
extremely narrow, the sides sloping at the base, perpendi- 
cular towards the end, the edges rather sharp, the tip abrupt 
and wedge shaped ; nasal groove long, bare ; lower mandi- 
ble with the angle of moderate length, the dorsal line as- 
cending and slightly convex, the sides erect, the edges thin, 
the tip abrupt and wedged. Nostrils subbasal, linear, near 
the margin! Head of moderate size, ovate, the forehead 
rounded ; neck of moderate length ; body compact. Feet 
of moderate length, rather stout ; tibia bare for about a 
fourth of its length ; tarsus slightly compressed, covered all 
round with hexagonal scales ; toes of moderate length, stout, 
marginate, flat beneath, webbed at the base, the outer con- 
sidei^ably longer than the inner, the first wanting. Claws 
rather small, arched, moderately compressed, obtuse. Plu- 
mage generally blended, on the back compact. Wings long, 
pointed, the first quill longest. Tail short, nearly even, of 
twelve feathers. Tongue short, triangular, fleshy ; oesopha- 
gus dilated into a pretty large crop ; stomach oblong, mus- 
cular, with the epithelium dense and longitudinally rugous ; 
intestine long and rather slender ; coeca long and nearly 
cylindrical ; cloaca globular. 
325. 1. Haematopus palliatus; Temm. American Oyster- 
catcher. 
Plate CCXXIII. Male. 
Bill vermilion, feet very pale flesh- colour ; head and neck dull black 
tinged with bluish-grey ; upper parts light greyish-brown, tinged with 
olive, and faintly glossed with reddish-purple ; lower eyelid, edge of 
