38 
PIED OYSTER-CATCHER. 
The female sits on her eggs only during the night, or in 
remarkably cold and rainy weather ; at other times the heat 
of the sun and of the sand, which is sometimes great, renders 
incubation unnecessary. But although this is the case, she is 
not deficient in care or affection. She watches the spot with 
an attachment, anxiety, and perseverance, that are really sur- 
prising, till the time arrives when her little offspring burst 
their prisons, and follow the guiding voice of their mother. 
When there is appearance of danger, they squat on the 
sand, from which they are with difficulty distinguished, while 
the parents make large circuits around the intruder, alighting 
sometimes on this hand, sometimes on that, uttering repeated 
cries, and practising the common affectionate stratagem of 
counterfeited lameness, to allure him from their young. 
These birds run and fly with great vigour and velocity. 
Their note is a loud and shrill whistling wheep-wheep-wlieo^ 
smartly uttered. A flock will often rise, descend, and wheel in 
air with remarkable regularity, as if drilled to the business, 
the glittering white of their wings at such times being very 
conspicuous. They are more remarkable for this on their first 
arrival in the spring. Some time ago, I received a stuffed 
specimen of the oyster-catcher, from a gentleman of Boston, 
an experienced sportsman, who, nevertheless, was unacquainted 
with this bird. He informed me, that two very old men to 
whom it was shown, called it a hopdel. He adds, “ it was shot 
from a flock, which was first discovered on the beach near the 
entrance of Boston Harbour, On the approach of the gun- 
ner, they rose, and instantly formed in line, like a corps of 
troops, and advanced in perfect order, keeping well dressed. 
They made a number of circuits in the air previous to being 
shot at, but wheeled in line ; and the man who fired into the 
flock, observed that all their evolutions were like a regularly 
organized military company.” 
The oyster-catcher will not only take to the water when 
wounded, but can also swim and dive well. This fact I can 
assert from my own observation, the exploits of one of them 
in this way having nearly cost me my life. On the sea-beach 
