PIED OYSTER-CATCHER. 
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cx>jv»^-?t!^e pure white ; the wings, when shut, cover the whole \vhite 
"plu.'nxage of the back and rump ; legs and naked part of the thighs 
;Vp5^'e I’ed ; feet three-toed, the outer joined to the middle by a broad 
^tid strong membrane, and each bordered with a rough warty 
edge ; the soles of the feet are defended from the hard sand and 
shells by a remanka.bjy thick and callous warty skin. 
On opening-^StfeSfe'birds the smallest of the three was found to 
b6 a male; the gullet widened into a kind of crop; the stomach, 
or gizzard, contained fragments of shell-fish, pieces of crabs, and 
of the great king-crab, with some dark brown marine insects. The 
flesh was remarkably firm and muscular, the skull thick and 
strong, intended no doubt, as in the Woodpecker tribe, for the se- 
curity of the brain from the violent concussions it might receive 
while the bird was engaged in digging. The female and young 
birds, have the back; and scapulars of a sooty brownish olive. 
Naturalists represent the Oyster-catcher of Europe and that 
of the United States as one species, though in the markings of their 
plumage there is a little difference. The tail of tlie latter is black, 
whilst that of the former is white, largely tipt with black. Our bird 
appears to be somewhat lar^r than the European. 
According to Temmilick the species which inhabits South 
America is distinct from ours : he names it Hamatopiis palUatiis. 
