II JEM AT OP US PALLIATUS. 
365 
The Piping Plovers arrive from the North in May, the eggs are deposited early in 
June, and the young run at birth, squatting on the naked sand when they perceive an in¬ 
truder or are warned to do so by some peculiar note of their parents who, solicitous for the 
safety of their offspring, are constantly on the lookout for enemies. The little Plovers soon 
learn to use their wings, however, and fly well by the middle of July, then all migrate to 
the South during the latter part of August, passing the winter on Key West, in company 
with the preceding species. Contrary to my expectations, I found the Piping Plovers 
breeding in great numbers on the Magdalen Islands, nesting on the long sand spits or a- 
mong the dunes. 
FAMILY II. HiEMATOPODIDiE. THE OYSTER CATCHERS, ETC. 
Bill, at least as long as head, compressed throughout, and hard at tip. Hind toe , 
absent or small. Keel, not equal in height to the width of the sternum. Marginal indenta¬ 
tions, four. 
These birds are very stout, with well-rounded bodies and short legs. The head is not 
very large and the neck short. The coeca are very long. Sterno-trachealis, present but 
there are no other prominent laryngeal muscles. Tympaniform membrane present as well 
as os transversale, but there is no semilunar membrane. 
GENUS I. HA5MATOPUS. THE OYSTER CATCHERS. 
Gen. Ch. Bill, much longer than head and compressed laterally at tip. Hind toe, absent. Stomach, not muscular. 
Furcula, well arched. 
Members of this genus have the inner marginal indentations slightly deeper than outer. Sexes similar. There is but 
one species.within our limits. 
EL2EMATOPUS PALLIATUS. 
Oyster Catcher. 
H&matopuspalliatus Temm., Man., II; 1820, 532. 
DESCRIPTION. 
Sp. Cel Form, robust. Size, large. Bill, twice as long as head. Sternum, stout. Tongue, thin, wide at base, nar- „ 
rowing toward tip which is rounded. 
Color. Adult. Head and neck all around, black. Above, reddish-brown. Upper tail coverts, lower surface of body, 
spot on lower eyelid, tips of greater wing coverts, and secondaries, white, with large elongated spots of brown on terminal 
portion of feathers of latter. 
Young. Similar to the adult, but the feather’s above are edged with white. Iris, brown, bill and eyelid, carmine, 
and feet, pinkish, in all stages. 
OBSERVATIONS. 
Readily known by the large size, absence of the hind toe, and long, compressed bill. Distributed, as a summer resi¬ 
dent, along the Eastern coast as far north as New Jersey, wintering from the Carolinas, southward. 
DIMENSIONS. 
Average measurements of specimens from Florida. Length, 18’50; stretch, 34’50; wing, 10‘00; tail, 3'92; bill, 3’35; 
tarsus, 2’30. Longest specimen, 19’00; greatest extent of wing, 35’00; longest wing, 10 - 40; tail, 4’10; bill, 3’60; tarsus, 
2’40. Shortest specimen, 18 00; smallest extent of wing, 34’00; shortest wing, 9’60; tail, 3’75; bill, 3’10; tarsus, 2’20. 
DESCRIPTION OF NESTS AND EGGS. 
Eggs', placed on the ground in a hollow scratched in the soil, with a little grass, etc.; two to four in number, rather oval 
in form, creamy or even white in color, spotted and blotched irregularly with brown of varying shades. Dimensions from 
1-50x2’15 to 1-55x2-25. 
